… seals deal with UBEC

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, is set to commence offering Post Graduate Diploma in Smart Education, for teachers in internship scheme.

To this end, the university entered into an official agreement with the Universal Basic Education Commission,UBEC, yesterday, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding,MoU.

Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi and Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Professor Olufemi Peters, respectively,signed the document on behalf of their institutions.

Speaking during the event designed to enhance the quality of teachers in the country, UBEC boss explained that the Teacher Internship Scheme was established to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools.

He said, “As part of efforts towards achieving this, the Commission included a six month Smart Education Primer course and a One year Post Graduate Diploma in Smart Education in the 2 year Teacher Internship Scheme programme.

“This capacity building programmes is aimed at equipping the Interns with skills for assisting teachers in the UBEC Model/Smart schools and Effective schools in the delivery of technology driven teaching and learning.

“As a world class education Intervention and regulatory agency, the Commission is preparing its teachers through the PGD in Smart Education course to produce globally competitive learners who achieve outstanding results. “

He noted that integration of technology in teaching and leaming was reforming education in the country, describing the development as a key to enhancing educational outcomes and promoting lifelong learning.

He said:”With this, the learners are able to effectively navigate the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. “

He explained that at the moment, interns to participate are education graduates, noting that access is being opened to enable as many as possible gain Knowledge of Smart education and increase the rate of literacy in technology pedagogy in the schools in Nigeria.

He maintained that the participants who are in the pilot programme would man the Smart schools, UBEC Effective School programme and other facilities in the basic education programme that are geared towards the use of technology in the classroom.

He urged the State Universal Basic Education Boards and other stakeholders in the basic education sector to make great use of the provision of the graduates of this Teacher Internship Scheme.

He commended the National Open University of Nigeria for the partnership and the Digital Resource Centre of the Commission for the preliminary skills given to the Interns.

“The Commission is poised at revolutionizing teaching and learning through the introduction of technology. This is why the Digital Resource Centre was established.

“This centre shall continue to be the hub of training for teachers and learners to imbue skills and knowledge which will make them globally competitive and be at par with their contemporaries over the world,” Bobboyi said.

The Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Olufemi Peters, on his part said the meeting was strategic because it has to do with the mandates of the two organizations, which has to do with provision of quality education at different levels.

He added that the faculty of education that houses the new course being introduced is very positioned to support the different schools, teachers, teacher training institutions and other educational stakeholders that would be involved in the collaboration.