The United States Consulate- General in Lagos has committed to supporting a series of professional development workshops for 100 primary and secondary school teachers drawn from across local communities in Oyo State.
The 12-month capacity development project tagged “Ibadandun” seeks to introduce the participating teachers to fun, creative and interactive teaching methods that enhance educational outcomes such as improved numeracy, literacy and school attendance.
Delivering remarks last Friday during a workshop for a cohort of the teachers in Ibadan, Acting U.S. Consul-General Stephen Ibelli, explained that integrating a variety of hands-on activities, including arts, in classroom instruction will engender critical thinking, creativity and collaborative learning.
“The U.S. Mission is fully committed to supporting a more educated population by increasing and strengthening the capacity of Nigerian teachers,” Acting Consul General Ibelli said. “Teachers who use innovative pedagogy and interactive assessment techniques enliven the teaching-learning process for their students. Students who have effective and engaged teachers tend to perform far better than their peers.”
Acting Consul-General Ibelli lauded the efforts of alumni of U.S. government exchange programs for supporting the project by serving as mentors and trainers during the 12 month-long project.
“U.S. Government exchange alumni are at the forefront of promoting access to qualitative education, good governance and civic engagement throughout Nigeria. They have strong ties to their communities and with the support of the U.S. Mission, create and execute projects to address specific needs, including basic education,” he added.
