Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has kicked off a 12-day induction and training program for 5,349 newly recruited teachers across early childhood, primary, and secondary school levels. The initiative, which began on Monday in Umuahia and Aba, is a key component of the state’s ongoing reforms to establish Abia as a hub of educational excellence.
According to a statement by Kenechukwu Nwosu, Special Adviser on Basic and Secondary Education, the training is facilitated by the Education Reform Implementation Team, supported by Lead Master Trainers from the AbiaFIRST initiative. The program addresses UNESCO’s projection of a global need for 44 million additional teachers by 2030 to meet Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education, with Sub-Saharan Africa requiring 15 million of them.
The recruitment process, described as the most competitive and transparent in Abia’s education history, saw over 30,000 applications, with the 5,349 selected teachers chosen strictly on merit. The training covers bilingual instruction, classroom management, inquiry-based and project-based learning, technical education, and ICT modules, including robotics, artificial intelligence, and green energy integration.
Governor Otti has prioritized teacher welfare, ensuring salaries are paid by the 28th of each month, a significant improvement from past irregularities. The initiative is part of the broader AbiaFIRST Education Programme, which includes free and compulsory education from Primary 1 to JSS 3, recruitment of qualified teachers, continuous professional development, and school facility upgrades.
The state government anticipates that the successful training and deployment of these teachers will significantly elevate education standards across Abia, reinforcing its commitment to addressing the global teacher shortage crisis proactively.
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