The Federal Ministry of Education, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Microsoft and GPE Transforming Education have entered into a partnership with the Enugu State Government to organise a three-day intensive workshop aimed at upskilling teachers in the state’s Smart Schools through the Nigerian Learning Passport (NLP).
The programme, held in Enugu, focused on data literacy, blended learning and the use of generative artificial intelligence, with mentors and innovators from the Centre for Experiential Learning and Innovation (CELI) training teachers to enable continuous access to quality education across all Smart Schools in the state.
Harold Kpotime, Nigeria Learning Passport Coordinator, UNICEF Nigeria, commended the Enugu State Government for building and equipping Smart Schools across the state. He, however, noted that the schools would not meet the required standard if teachers were not digitally knowledgeable.
‘These schools are well equipped, and as an organisation, we have a platform called the Nigerian Learning Passport, which is an online platform that has curriculum-aligned resources for our teachers and our learners. So, we are here to train the teachers in all the Smart Schools on how to use the Nigerian Learning Passport,’ Kpotime said.
He explained that the platform offers courses in data literacy, blended learning and generative artificial intelligence.
‘We have courses in data literacy, blended learning and also on how to use generative artificial intelligence. So, we are here today with the CELI mentors and innovators. We are training them, and they will cascade this training down to the teachers as we plan,’ he said.
According to him, all trained teachers, irrespective of their professional backgrounds, should be digitally literate and able to apply digital skills in the classroom, as well as for distance learning, self-directed learning and continuous professional development.
He described the initiative as an opportunity for teachers to continuously upskill and improve their professional capacity.
Kpotime said the mentors were also being trained on remote learning strategies to enable teachers to continue teaching and learning beyond the four walls of the classroom.
‘We are teaching them the resources available for them to continue the teaching and learning outside the classroom walls. The good news is that the government has equipped all the schools. They have solar panels with batteries. They have smart boards in each of the classrooms, and they have very good internet connectivity through Starlink.
‘So, we are going to install the Nigerian Learning Passport on all of these devices in the classroom so that each of the teachers can access it directly for free,’ he noted.
He advised teachers to embrace continuous professional development and regularly upgrade their knowledge and skills.
The Nigerian learning passport coordinator UNICEF Nigeria, added that the mentors undergoing the training were among the most digitally literate personnel selected for the programme, while the Nigerian Learning Passport technical team, working with the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB) and the Ministry of Education, would monitor the training.
Also speaking, Believe Ekeh, UNICEF Education Specialist, Enugu Field office said the organisation, in collaboration with ENSUBEB, was working to integrate the Nigerian Learning Passport into the Smart Schools.
According to him, UNICEF supports the state government’s initiative to build schools and strengthen teachers’ capacity, adding that the collaboration was focused on ensuring that the infrastructure and digital resources provided were effectively utilised to improve education in the state.
Nkem Egbo, director in the Enugu State Ministry of Education, and Ego Ajah of the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board, who monitored the capacity-building exercise, said the training was designed to strengthen teachers’ capacity to use the Nigerian Learning Passport and digital devices.
They said the training, led by mentors and innovators, was aimed at bridging the digital divide and ensuring teachers and learners could access the Nigerian Learning Passport both online and offline.
The programme, they said, would have a positive impact on the education system in Enugu State.
Levy Orjinweke of the Centre for Experiential Learning and Innovation in Enugu State said the trainees, who are mentors and innovators, were expected to cascade the knowledge acquired during the training to teachers across the state.
He said the approach would ensure that the benefits of the programme reached teachers in all the Smart Schools and ultimately improve teaching and learning outcomes in the state.
He commended the organisers of the program saying that as participants he has learnt a lot from the three days training.