By Gafar Alabi

The Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has called on the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to fast-track the approval of the 2023–2024 Teacher Development Programme for Public Primary School teachers in the State.

Chairman of the Board, Evang. Olalekan Ifede, made the call while receiving the South-West Coordinator of UBEC, Mrs. Beatrice Okei in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta. He noted that the approval would aid the training of teachers and by extension improve the academic performance of learners.

“I resumed office about seven months ago. I met a lot of work on ground and since then God has helped us greatly with the cooperation of my board members and directors. We have reached an appreciable level. We met the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) and the Teacher Development Programme already on ground and we have almost completed them,” Ifede said.

The SUBEB Boss appealed to the UBEC representative to facilitate the approval of the outstanding programme, noting that the board had already applied for it. He urged the commission to approve and commence the programme in earnest.

He further explained that teachers had commenced the use of phonics in the foundation classes of Public Primary Schools in the State to improve pupils’ reading and communication skills.

He added that upon assumption of office, he met the 2020–2021 intervention projects and that contractors were given a two-month ultimatum to complete them, noting that some of the projects were already nearing completion.

Responding, Mrs. Okei, assured the board that she would liaise with the Executive Secretary towards the approval of the aforementioned projects for the benefit of learners.

Earlier, the Director of Administration and Supplies, Mr. Femi Fatade, stated that the visit would foster harmonious relationship between the board and the commission, adding that it would also consolidate efforts toward improving learning outcomes in Public Primary Schools across the State.