Over the next 12 months, the United States Consulate General in Lagos is supporting a series of professional development workshops for 100 primary and secondary school teachers drawn from across local areas in Oyo State.
The capacity development project, tagged “Ibadandun,” seeks to introduce fun, creative and interactive teaching methods that enhance educational outcomes such as improved numeracy, literacy and school attendance. the participating teachers to
Five Cowries Arts Education Initiative, 1 Million Teachers Incorporated and the American Corner Ibadan are collaborating to implement “Ibadandun” with generous support from alumni of US government exchange programs.
The series of workshops will integrate a variety of hands-on activities that provide the teachers a deeper understanding of new approaches of using arts to improve classroom instruction and students’ learning.
Inn his remarks during a workshop for a cohort of the teachers in Ibadan, Acting US 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 US mission is fully committed to supporting a more educated population by increasing and strengthening the capacity of Nigerian teachers,” 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.”
Ibelli lauded the efforts of alumni of US government exchange programs for supporting the project by serving as mentors and trainers during the 12 month-long project.
“United States 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 US mission, create and execute projects to address specific needs, including basic education,” he added.