The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dr. Joan Oviawe

  • Obaseki’s gains, losses in education

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has been battling to keep faith with his electoral promise to revolutionise education to meet the world’s standard of basic, secondary and tertiary education for his people.

    Instead of praises, there are mounting criticisms by the opposition and civil rights groups who maintain that his style has literally destroyed education than fix the rot in the system.

    One of the governor’s education enhancers and Chairman of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Dr. Joan Oviawe has reeled off achievements of the governor to include 20,000 new registration of pupils in public schools who were originally of school age but out of school.

    In a chat with reporters a few weeks ago during  the celebration of one year of its special intervention programme in primary education known as EdoBest (Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation), Dr Joan Oviawe said so far, 7,000 out of the 11,117 primary school teachers have been trained and provided with tablets on modern teaching techniques. She also said they use the process to get feedback on the performance or otherwise of the teachers in terms of regularity in teaching and punctuality in class.

    Oviawe said another set of 615 teachers are currently undergoing training while she said no fewer than 800,000 free text books have been distributed to primary schools. She said the board has introduced electronic record for pupils with their data and those of their parents and guardians captured to monitor movement of pupils from one school to another and keep their proper records, including academic performances.

    She also told reporters that 232 public schools are being rehabilitated across the state with 56 of this number undergoing complete reconstruction.

    “All these are being done in line with the vision of Governor Godwin Obaseki who is determined to take the standard of education, particularly primary education, to a very high level so that any pupil leaving primary six will be well equipped to even teach. This is being done at no cost to the pupil because primary education is completely free,” she said.

    To check cases of vandalism of school facilities, she said School Board Management Committees (SBMC) have been established to take ownership of the facilities and help protect them just as she said the recent re-introduction of subvention to the schools is to provide needed funding to maintain the facilities being produced by the government. She said Open Day which enables parents to visit schools and see how their children were being taught has also been introduced and would hold twice in a term.

    Investigation has shown that in spite of government’s genuine efforts at providing unfettered access to a compulsory Universal Basic Education (UBE) for all school age children as a bridge to future socio-economic development, that milestone is yet to be realised in the short period of Governor Obaseki’s years in office.

    Also, the promised to establish and maintain quality and standards through enhanced, relevant and competence-based curricula and effective quality control and monitoring at both public and private levels is still far between.

    It has been revealed that strengthening Edo State’s technological and scientific foundation by rejigging technical, vocational and entrepreneurial education formats and objectives in the state government style may yet bring about actual development in the educational sector. Added to that will be making optimal use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to meet the state’s manpower needs in commerce and industry and other core areas as being provided by the state government.

    It’s universally agreed that education flourishes only when enabling environment that stimulates active participation of the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is provided However, the state government has been applauded by the people for  enhancing the resourcefulness, competencies and efficiency of teachers, instructors, especially lecturers and members of staff of Edo State Polytechnic, Usen through capacity building, training and other motivational platforms.

    According to Miss Magdalene Okhaide, an HND 1 Public Administration student of the institution, the appointment of Prof. Abiodun Falodun of the University of Benin as the Rector of Edo State Polytechnic, Usen on April 2, last year has been the turning point for the visible restructuring and repositioning of the institution.

    Miss Okafor Syvia and Mr. Moses Omofese, both students of the polytechnic were elated for the reduction of the school fees cumulatively from N120, 000 to N45, 000 for students of Social Science and N50,000 for Science students respectively.

    Lecturers, members of management staff and students attested to Governor Obaseki’s and the Rector’s tireless commitment to make Usen Polytechnic unbeatable across Sub-Sahara African countries.

    “We’re happy that several months’ salary arrears and all the overdrafts loans taken by the former Rector which are unaccounted for have been paid by Prof. Abiodun Falodun”, the Dean of Students Affairs, Mr. Usman Osarenren said.

    On tour on campus with students and members of staff, the achievements of the present Rector were visible in every corner of the institution. They include the establishment of a functional health care centre within the premises of the polytechnic, establishment of Centre for Geospatial Information Science (CGIS), establishment of Edo Poly Table Water, establishment of a functional Palm Oil Milling Factory, establishment of the Polytechnic environment through the bring back our environment campaign, the ongoing Radio/TV studio project, the  development of school mobile App by the students, numerous TETFUND projects under construction, and many more within the short period Prof Falodun assumed duty at the institution.

    It’s also to the credit of Prof. Falodun that first convocation ceremony was held on December 1, last year since the establishment of the polytechnic on December 19, 2002 by Governor Lucky Igbinedion administration.

    Under Governor Obaseki’s administration, College of Education, Abudu in Orhionmwon Local Government Area is growing in leaps and bounds. At the last count, more than 12 existing dilapidated buildings have been renovated and completed for use by students and members of management staff.

    These include 95 hostel rooms with ultra-modern toilet facilities with separate kitchens, built separately to accommodate both male and female students, four large lecture halls with additional 12 classrooms on both sides each, administrative building along with ICT building, quarters for members of staff and interlinking roads within the campus earmarked for construction.

    However, the Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Chris Nehikhare perforates claims by the SUBEB Chairman, Dr. Joan Oviawe and Governor Obaseki’s government that educational re-engineering has taken firm foothold in the state.

    “The enthronement of the Obaseki government exposed the lack of depth of the APC government Education Policy in the state. The primary and secondary schools are unfunded, no subventions from government, inadequate teachers, equipment, learning aides or teaching aides. There hasn’t been a proper student census to determine number of pupils in schools and therefore proper arrangements cannot be made to cater for them.

    “The cosmetic renovations of “along the road” schools have “faded” and the school buildings are once again become eyesores! The Obaseki government has closed down functional schools for renovation and revamping only for him to shift position once he has achieved his sinister motive of closing down.

    “As we speak, students of the Colleges of Education Ekiadolor, College of Agriculture, Ogieriki and others, along with their academic and non-academic members of staff are in limbo as there are no clear-cut policy positions of government on their fate. Only sound bites and empty promises. Obviously, the position of government is frowned at by all Edo as schools should be opening and not shutting down”, Chris said.

    Human rights activist and social crusader, Maxist Kola Edokpaye loses brain cells on hearing that Governor Obaseki has achieved milestone in educational development.

    “Governor Obaseki is a curse rather than a blessing to educational development in Edo State on the grounds that virtually all the state-owned tertiary institutions are shut down by the state government, thereby exacerbating the under-development of the state-owned tertiary institutions.

    “In neighbouring states such as Kogi, Delta, Ondo and other states, the governors are paying bursaries to their students while Edo State Governor’s heart is hardened like Pharaoh Ramses towards the payment of bursaries to the indigent Edo students schooling in Edo State.

    “The All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government under Obaseki is leading in denial. The civil society organisations in Edo have written to the state governor and the parliament to ascertain why the schools are shut down and the need for the schools to be re-opened for academic activities but no responses have been received from them. Some of our comrades have had meeting with the Chief of Staff on the matter but all to no avail.

    “We’re set to expose and disgrace them in our planned protests in coming days. Our messages are very clear. Open our schools now,” Kola said.

    Edokpaye said: “At this juncture, we can’t afford to allow lecturers, members of management staff as well as the students’ fate to be dangling in the balance while jesters and blusters in government house ride the roughshod.”

    Two principals of the same secondary school- senior and junior in the same premises in Edo State (name withheld) chastised the state government for misinforming the public about its achievements in the education sector.

    “Since November last year, we have not received one kobo from the state government as subvention. Besides, we only have one teacher each for English language and Mathematics, teaching over 3,000 students in the entire school.

    “The governor should employ Science teachers since older ones have all retired. After all, Governor Obaseki promised 200, 000 jobs to Edo people in each of his four years in office”, one of the principals said.

    A visit to Colleges of Agriculture Iguoriakhi and Ekiadolor, now Tayo Akpata University, invokes unrestraining anger over the closure of the schools without adequate explanations beyond renovations or restructuring twitches from the government, while existing structures are allowed to be vandalised and degraded.

     

    • Erasmus Ikhide writes from Lagos, Nigeria. Email: ikhideerasmus@gmail.com

  • Edo records 20,000 increase in public school enrolment

    Edo State Government said it has recorded 20,000 increment in the enrolment of pupils into public primary schools since it introduced the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation known as Edo BEST in April last year.

    It said the increment showed parents were withdrawing their pupils from private schools to public schools.

    Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Joan Oviawe, who spoke to newsmen in Bénin City, said the state government has built electronic database of all pupils in its school.

    Dr. Oviawe said the database including academic records now helped the state government track pupils and their movement from school to school.

    Oviawe states that additional 4600 would soon be trained as the state government expanded that the Edo BEST programme to 345 schools across the state.

    She noted that the tablets distributed to teachers under the Edo BEST have helped to exposed some teachers attitude to work and how long they stay in school.

    The SUBEB chairman said the Edo BEST attracted the attention of Facebook who has offered to build internet in some selected schools.

    According to her, “Under the Edo BEST, we have achieved a lot. We have trained 7000 teachers and distributed over 800,000 textbooks.

     “We have trained 11688 persons from communities where our schools are located to help manage the schools in terms of protection from theft and vandalism.

    “Edo has access about N9bn from UBEC and we are currently working on 232 schools. 56 of the schools are new while 2000 classrooms are being renovated.  We are in the process of procuring furniture.”

  • Police arrest 58-year-old man for defiling minor in Edo

    …Edo sets up committee on child defilement

     

    The Edo State Government has set up a committee to check the incidence of child defilement in the state, in a renewed effort to strengthen the Child Rights Law to address issues of sexual abuse of children.

    Acting Chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Special Assistant to the Governor on Basic Education, Dr. Joan Oviawe, disclosed this during a press briefing at the Government House, Benin City, when the state government handed over a 58 years old man, Mr. Lambert Ighodaro, to the State Police Command for prosecution for allegedly raping a 12 years old girl in Benin City, Edo State capital.

    Dr. Oviawe added, “After the case was reported by SUBEB to the Police, Mr. Lambert was apprehended by the Police.”

    She said, “This was after SUBEB received report of the incident from the class teacher of the 12 years old girl, who is a pupil in one of the primary schools. She had observed that the girl was always absent from school and contacted the girl’s guardian to find out the cause of her absenteeism.”

    “The girl told her class teacher how she was being sexually abused by Mr. Lambert Ighodaro, in his house during school hours since 2017. She alleged that the man gives her money after defiling her,” she added.

    The SUBEB boss told journalists that the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, had set up an inter-ministerial committee to develop a framework to curb the incidence of child defilement in the state.

    She said the board is concerned about the wellbeing of pupils while in and out of school, noting that structures are being put in place to assist victims of rape overcome stigma, while the perpetrators are not only shamed but prosecuted.

    She said, “Teachers who were trained recently in the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo BEST) programme, were trained on ways to identify children who have been abused physically and sexually.”

    Oviawe explained that the board was also investigating two other cases of sexual abuse involving an 11 years old girl and another eight years old girl.

    “The state government is reviewing existing Child Rights Law to strengthen the law made to combat all forms of abuses against children in the state,” she noted.

     

     

  • ICT-based teaching: Edo calls for 300 primary school teachers

    The Edo State Government has called for 300 volunteers among primary school teachers working in public schools to pilot its Edo Best programme, an initiative designed to introduce and entrench the use of computers, tablets and other Information and Communication Technology-based gadgets for teaching across the state.

    Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Basic Education and Acting Chairperson, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Joan Oviawe, who disclosed this, urged teachers in public primary schools to tap from the opportunity to upgrade their skills and become versed in updated approach for impacting knowledge.

    She said the programme is expected to lead to better learning outcomes and a more robust, up-to-date approach to classroom management in public schools.

    Edo Best Programme is an initiative of Governor Obaseki administration, conceived to transform primary education in the state.

    According to Dr. Oviawe, “In the pilot phase, 300 schools will be selected to launch the initiative and the headmasters/headmistresses and teachers who would head or teach in these schools have to be trained in the use of computers and other gadgets to teach in the classroom. By the next academic year, all headmasters/headmistresses and teachers in the state will be required to go through this training.”

    She said at the end of the training, teachers and head teachers will each receive a computer tablet loaded with lesson notes.

    On how the teachers can enroll for the programme, she said, “Teachers are requested to forward their Names, positions (HM or Teacher), salary grade level, academic qualifications, the LGAs where they currently teach and their present school to Edo SUBEB.  Every volunteer must send their information.”

    She allayed fears that the programme is intended to test teachers, noting that further enquiries on the programme should be routed to SUBEB.

    Read Also: Fuel price: Edo monitors filling stations to ensure compliance

  • Edo SUBEB apprehends school vandal, reads riot act

    Edo SUBEB apprehends school vandal, reads riot act

    Acting Chairman of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Joan Oviawe, has described as condemnable the vandalisation of properties at the Special Needs Schools for the Visually Impaired, Mentally Challenged and Hearing Impaired at Ukhegie, in Benin City.

    In a statement on Thursday, in Benin City, Dr. Oviawe, who disclosed that the suspected vandals have been apprehended,sternly warned that the state government would no longer tolerate the destruction of facilities in public primary schools, noting that perpetrators will be held accountable and prosecuted in the court of law.

    “It was gathered that window fittings and other facilities at the school were undone and carted away on Monday, February 12, by the suspects, whose names could not be released because the Police hasn’t concluded investigations on the matter.

    “A total of six classrooms were affected in the incident with aluminum roofing sheets of one of the classrooms completely damaged. Officials of the school said this was not the first of such incidents at the school,” she said.

    Dr. Oviawe said the incident is not only morally reprehensible but should be frowned at, adding, “The state cannot progress when facilities in primary schools are vandalised. Such acts put the future of children in public schools in jeopardy. These children deserve the right to learn in a conducive environment with adequate facilities.”

    She appealed to communities and other stakeholders to work with government to root out vandals, noting, “Edo people who reside close to public schools should support government’s stance to stamp out the activities of vandals. They are encouraged to report individuals and groups who vandalise public assets in schools to the nearest police post.

    She said efforts are ongoing to retrieve the stolen items from buyers, noting that the arrested suspects are in Police custody. “We intend to use the prosecution of this matter to teach others who are in the habit of vandalising public property lessons,” she said.

  • Edo kick-starts basic education reform, retrains teachers

    Edo kick-starts basic education reform, retrains teachers

    The Edo State Government has commenced the reform of the basic education sector with the ongoing schools census exercise which will provide credible and reliable data for planning while the inspectorate department is being revamped.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic Education and Sole Administrator, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Joan Oviawe, disclosed this in a chat with journalists at the Government House, Benin City.

    She said Governor Godwin Obaseki is keen on teacher professional development and data-driven decision-making, which was what inspired the school census being carried out in the state, noting, “We don’t just do things randomly. We have started taking a census of schools. We want to know the number of schools, pupils, and teachers in the state. After this, we will then know which subject area to focus our recruitment efforts.”

    Oviawe maintained that a key part of the exercise is population mapping, and added, “We need to know the number of people that are enrolled in the schools. If you visit some of the schools within Benin metropolis and across the state, you will find out that there are schools with less than 100 pupils. With that, you can determine which school is viable or not.

    “It is possible that there are schools in the area that are not populated. We may need to close them down and open others in highly populated areas. But in order to do that and avoid any form of unfounded allegation of impropriety, we have to know the number of children and how they are dispersed.”

    She said the state government was bringing back what worked in the state in the past and adding modern techniques and reform that would bequeath children the best of learning experience.

    Stressing that the state government was keen on monitoring private school operators, she said, “We are strengthening regulation. The Inspectorate arm of the education ministry is being strengthened to deliver its mandate. We are building a strong monitoring and evaluation system at the basic education level.

    “It is not about catching people doing the wrong thing. It is about adopting preventive measures and providing constant professional development training so that the teachers can perform better,” Oviawe said.

    She explained that the state was keen on reversing the rot in the basic education system, adding, “There is a rapid decline in our public education system. All these didn’t start today; it has been a long time coming. Some have argued that it started in the era of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in the 1980s when government was advised to cut-back on its spending on social welfare including education. That is what we are starting to tackle now. We want to bring back quality into our basic education system.”

    She noted that Governor Obaseki has brought accountability to the system, stressing, “We have a 48-hour deadline to respond to files here. And this happens across different ministries in the state. So, we are being held accountable when things don’t go well.”