Gov. Godwin Obaseki:

The Edo Government has trained no fewer than 1,500 teachers in the public primary schools in the state on Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-based teaching.

Mr Mike Itua, Secretary, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Edo wing, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Benin.

Itua said that the trained and certified teachers had, since the resumption of the present term, been teaching online in the 300 pilot schools marked out by the state government.

`Another batch of 2,000 will commence training in August as the training is in line with the Edo government’s vision and desire to digitalise education in the state.

“The 300 pilot schools are spread across the wards in the state as teachers’ participation in the training for now is voluntary.

“It is expected that in due course, all teachers in the state will be ICT compliant.

“The programme is presently for teachers handling primaries one to three classes and the essence is to regenerate the old order and turn it anew.

`It is expedient that you get it right with the pupils in their formative years as that is the foundation period,’’ he said.

The NUT scribe said that the programme was saving teachers lots of man-hour deployed in lesson note preparation and planning, as this had been built into the programme.

He said that the trained teachers were provided with working tools like tablets and iPads.

Itua explained that government was considering the provision of solar energy in the public schools.

He said that funds for the payment of promotion arrears for the primary schools teachers for 2013 to 2015 had been provided.

Itua remarked that the teachers were now at par with other workers in the state civil service in that regard.

The NUT secretary expressed optimism that the financial benefits of the promotion would be worked into the pay roll in June.

“Pensions for the retired members of the NUT have been paid as at when due.

The gratuities and the arrears will be paid from the N1.5 billion approved by Gov. Godwin Obaseki on May 1,” he said

NAN recalls that early this year, Obaseki approved the ICT- based training to be done in phases.