You have taken EdoBEST to the next level, NUT tells EdoSUBEB President

The ancient land of Igarra, known for its bountiful exports of peanuts and peanut products, was abuzz in an atmosphere that can only be described as electrifying when it hosted one of its most major exports, Executive Chairman of Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (Edo SUBEB), Ms. Ozavize E. Salami.

Appointed as the Executive Chairperson of Edo SUBEB, Ms. Ozavize E. Salami has served as the head of affairs since October 2021, coordinating the reform of the basic education sector in Edo State. Appointed by the Governor of Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki, Ms. Salami’s primary focus is to ensure that the teachers and staff working with her work earnestly to deliver superior learning outcomes.

Applauding his efforts to provide the children of Edo State with quality education at the basic education level, Otaru of Igarra Land, Oba E. A Saiki (JP) congratulated the President noting that his actions will protect the future of the children of Edo State.

The supreme traditional leader of the Igarra/Akuku clan praised his tenacity and skill. He said, “Let me say that your appointment, which is very impressive, is based on the principle that defines the conduct of our education system in Edo State and the country.”

Prioritize improving learning outcomes

In launching the EdoBEST program which is the state government intervention for education at the basic education level in 2018, the government only considered reforming the public primary schools in the state. It started with primary schools because according to Governor Godwin Obaseki, “To rebuild any structure, you have to start from the bottom and the foundation of our education system is basic education.”

However, under the able leadership of Mrs. Ozavize E. Salami, the program was extended to schools now referred to as progressive schools. These are schools located in hard-to-reach areas and mostly rural areas with a school population of less than 100 students. Building on the achievements of the basic education sector reforms launched by the Obaseki-led government in 2018, popularly known as EdoBEST, Ms. Salami spearheaded the reform of progressive schools as a step towards increasing enrollment and improving learning outcomes for the state’s children.

In 2022, the program also reached an important milestone by organizing a comprehensive 10-day training for teachers, school leaders and directors of the JSS and a program supervision team. This enables more children to be targeted by the EdoBEST program as the state strives to achieve SDG Goal 4 of quality education for all children by 2030.

It should be noted that Edo State is one of the few states in Nigeria to have followed UBEC’s mandate to have a junior secondary school under the supervision of each state’s SUBEB. The EdoBEST program was instituted in colleges following the disarticulation of the JSS in October 2021.

Developing for Excellence

The Obaseki-led government has prioritized the professional development of teachers as part of the pillars of the EdoBEST program. For reform to be effective, there must be a conscious effort in teacher recruitment and development. Reiterating the words of Governor Godwin Obaseki, “No society thrives without education. The most important element of any education system are the teachers”, Ms. Salami, in her capacity as President of Edo SUBEB, organized 2 training sessions for Primary and JSS teachers in the first semester of 2022 This is a far cry from the small training groups organized in between. terms.

Present at the civic reception in honor of the President of Edo SUBEB, the President of the Edo State Branch of the National Union of Teachers, Comrade Bernard Ajobiewe, who joined other representatives of NUT in congratulating the President, praised his strategies to ensure uniform quality of education for children in the state as well as the development of teachers for excellence through a series of formal and informal training sessions. While applauding the President, Comrade Ajobiewe noted that he looked forward to more results from the visionary President.

“It is a well-deserved recognition because of his exceptional performance. She has performed tremendously, taking the EdoBEST program to the next level,” said Comrade Ajobiewe.

Since being appointed as the Executive Chairperson, Ms. Salami has been committed to teacher education as a driving force for quality education in all EdoBEST schools in Edo State, effectively transforming practices and teaching process from analog to digital.

At a leadership summit in April for headteachers, supervisors and education secretaries, Ms Salami reiterated the government’s position on providing quality education to children in the Edo State. She said: “Teachers are important for governance, transmitting learning values ​​and managing school environments. A key priority for us at Edo SUBEB is that every year, and in all our schools, students have access to quality basic education, regardless of where their schools are located”.

Moving forward, for better delivery of education

Edo SUBEB under the guidance of a relentless education enthusiast, Ms. Salami has been able to achieve many firsts, from improving learning outcomes to successfully recruiting and deploying over 2,000 Edo Supporting programs Teachers to Achieve Results (EdoSTAR) to fill teacher gaps in elementary and junior high schools across the state during one school year.

Speaking on the council’s plans for the future of education in Edo State, Ms Salami said, “We understand that the challenges are as numerous as they are diverse and critical, and I can assure you of our commitment to address teacher gaps, improve learning outcomes and make significant investments in improving the school environment. Education for all is everyone’s responsibility”.

As the Council prepares for a new session, everyone is on deck to ensure the continuity of the smooth delivery of basic education services in all public primary and secondary schools.

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