Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), has began the training of Education Managers who are expected to replicate the training to 3,219 Head Teachers of Primary Schools in the state.
The move is in preparation for the reopening of schools across the 25 Local Government Areas ( LGA) in the state.
Dr Isah Adamu, the state Chairman of the board disclosed this at a conference organised by NSUBEB in Minna on Thursday.
“The board has began the training of experts in Education Management and Administration in preparation for the resumption and examination of primary six pupils, taking into cognisance the COVID -19 protocols.
“We are training 25 Education Managers on Non Pharmaceutical Protocols to enable them step down the training to various primary schools across the 25 LGAs of the state,” he said.
He explained that the objective of the training was to inform the participants on measures to be taken for the safe reopening of schools.
“We must understand how to safe guard ourselves , teachers and pupils from being infected with COVID– 19 and to know the requirements needed for the safe reopening of schools.
“After the training, Niger state government will fix a date for resumption as we are expecting 500 government sponsored pupils to write the common entrance examinations.
“The pupils we are expecting to take the entrance examination will be provided with all necessary requirements, including face masks, face Sheild, soaps, saniterzer, running water buckets and Infrared Thermometers.
“We are going to spend about N10 million on COVID -19 requirements for the 500 pupils that will be taking the examination,” he said
Also speaking, Malam Salihu Gonna, the Director, Teacher Professional Development (NSUBEB), said that radio and television jingles aimed at sensitising and creating awareness on the pandemic had been ongoing in the state.
He said that with the recent intervention from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the awareness jingle tagged ” Lesson On Air” had been rekindled.
According to Gonna, the training will help to address disillusion some communities and parents have about COVID – 19.
“This training will help the Headmasters on how to convince their communities to accept the fact that COVID – 19 is real, it is only when they accept that they can be enlightened on how to prevent it,” he said.
Edited By: Saidu Adamu/Ese E. Ekama (NAN)
