The Presidential Committee on Northeast Initiative (PCNI) yesterday
began a five-day capacity building training for 500 teachers in Borno
state.
Speaking at the opening of the training in Maiduguri, PCNI’s Vice
Chairman, Tijjani Tumsa, said the exercise was designed to address
challenges facing the education sector caused by the Boko Haram
insurgency.
He explained that teachers would be exposed to modern teaching
techniques; safety and security tips as well as psychological support.
Tumsa said: “This is the second batch of beneficiaries of the training
exercise to strengthen the capacity of teachers in teaching
techniques, safety and security measures in school’s environment and
trauma counselling.’’
He noted that training was imperative to check the spate of
examination failure, encourage academic excellence as well as science
and technology development.
According to him, some 500 teachers were trained under the first batch
of the programme in Borno, while over 1, 000 others benefited from the
training exercise in Adamawa and Yobe states.
Tumsa said that the programme was implemented in collaboration with
the University of Maiduguri.
Also commenting, Shettima Kullima, the Chairman, Borno State Universal
Basic Education Board (SUBEB), described the exercise as ‘timely’.
Kulluma said the exercise would go a long way to address challenges
bedevilling the basic education sector in the state.
The SUBEB boss, who was represented by Ali Dogo, said that some
teachers had either been killed or abducted, while 520 schools and
over 5, 000 classrooms were destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents in
the state.
