FG, NEDC trains Adamawa teachers on digital literacy – THISAGE

By Salihu Pirkusu, Maiduguri

The Office of the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima and the North East Development Commission (NEDC), have trained 100 teachers on digital literacy in Adamawa State.

THISAGE recalls that similar exercises were conducted in Borno, Yobe, Gombe and Bauchi states across the region.

Dr Mariam Masha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Regional Development Programmes, disclosed this during her presentation at the two-day Academic Support and Skills Enhancement Program (ASSEP), on Tuesday in Yola.

He said the face-to-face training is aimed at science, technology, mathematics and agriculture (STEMA) teachers in senior secondary schools in the North-Eastern sub-region.

He listed the states to be included; Gombe, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Taraba.

Masha explained that the initiative was born out of collaboration between the Office of the Vice President and the NEDC, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He noted that the program aimed to fill educational gaps and equip teachers with digital and technical skills for effective teaching in the 21st century economy.

“The program improves teachers’ ability to integrate technology into teaching methods to improve educational outcomes in the region,” he said.

Mohammed Alkali, Chief Executive Officer, NEDC, represented by Khalifa Lawan, NEDC Adamawa State Coordinator, said the insurgency in the region necessitated urgent interventions in the education sector.

He said the commission prioritized education, linking the insurrection in part to a lack of access to quality education and awareness.

“The insurgency has been affecting the region for almost 16 years, so we realized that urgent action was needed and decided to address the issue of education very seriously.

“This is because the root cause of the insurgency could be linked to lack of education or lack of understanding of education,” he said.

Alkali said the NEDC had undertaken rapid interventions, including the rehabilitation of damaged schools in the 112 local government areas in the North East.

He added that the region has lost more than 50% of its teaching staff, prompting efforts to train and retain teachers, especially at the foundational level.

In an interview with the Personal Assistant for Home and North Eastern Affairs to the Vice President and member of the Project Implementation Team (PIT) ASSEP, Comrade Mahmud Muhammad expressed satisfaction that the Adamawa State Government “has incorporated the program aimed at improving the ability of teachers to integrate technology into their teaching methods, as part of a broader effort to promote education in the region.”

With this move, he added, “teachers in the state are expected to leverage digital tools to make learning more interactive and engaging for students.

Dr Umar Pella, Commissioner for Education, Adamawa, represented by the Permanent Secretary Mrs Aisha Umar, commended the Federal Government for the initiative.

Pella said ongoing teacher education is vital to improving instructional offerings, strengthening STEMA education and improving student learning outcomes.

The prof. Augustine Okoronka of Modibbo Adama University described the initiative as commendable, stressing that education remains a key driver of national development.

He urged teachers to embrace lifelong learning through continuous study, unlearning outdated methods and adopting modern teaching techniques.

One participant, Kieran Godiya, described the training as timely, especially in the context of security challenges, hence the need to increase technological advances in education.

Godiya praised the organizers adding that the participants learned to integrate artificial intelligence and inclusive teaching methods to cater to students with diverse and special needs.

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