Abia State Government says it aims to revolutionize learning and position the State as a Model for Educational excellence in Nigeria.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Good luck Ubochi stated this, on Tuesday during a World Press Conference at Government House Umuahia ahead of the official launch of the AbiaFirst Education programme.
The initiative billed to take place tomorrow, at the International Conference Center, Umuahia, encompasses state of the art infrastructural development in the education sector, advanced digital learning processes, comprehensive teachers development programmes, innovative curriculum design and modern vocational training centers among others.
The Commissioner emphasized that the proposed Launch of the ABIAFIRST Programme, focuses on institutional reform and school transformation.
He added that the programme aligns with Governor Otti’s vision to intentionally prepare Abia students in Basic and Secondary Schools to be skilled participants in the global village.
“The AbiaFIRST programme represents a holistic approach to education transformation, encompassing, Early Childhood Development, Basic Education Enhancement, Secondary School Reform, Technical and Vocational Training, Digital Learning Integration, Career Education, Community Engagement.
“AbiaFIRST will focus on institutional reform and school transformation, introducing innovative solutions such as; Digital Learning Platforms, A Comprehensive Curriculum Framework,Teacher Professional Development, Enhanced TVET Programmes, Robust Monitoring and Evaluation Systems.
“This launch event showcases our achievements to date and outlines the roadmap for transforming education in Abia State—creating an inclusive, equitable, andfuture-ready learning environment that will empower our students to becomeskilled, confident, and globally minded individuals”, Elder Ubochi highlighted.
He disclosed that the initiative is being implemented through a strategic partnership with the Education Reform and Innovation Team (ERIT)—a consortium of renowned education experts, innovators, and change agents dedicated to transforming learning environments across the State.
Elder Ubochi noted that the State Government has already trained 200 lead master trainers and 2,000 master teachers who would drive a training model aimed at reaching over 9,000 teachers across the State.
He highlighted the importance of community participation and urged parents, educators, and stakeholders to actively engage in the reform process noting that the state government is “building an education system that will drive sustainable growth in our local communities and beyond”.
Contributing, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Education, Mr. Kenechukwu Nwosu, said that the decision to launch a new Educational initiative was driven by the urgent need to transform the Education sector in Abia State.
Mr Nwosu, who also serves as the Chairman of the Organising Committee for the Abia FIRST Launch, emphasized that the programme has been carefully designed to be highly impactful.
He said the initiative aims to foster, and drive innovation, capacity building, and reforms within the state’s education sector.
The Governor’s Aide who revealed that the Governor will serve as the Chief Host of the event, urged stakeholders in the Education Sector to actively participate and support the State Government’s efforts to promote quality Education across the State.
In her remarks, the Team Lead of the Education Reform and Innovation Team (ERIT), Mrs. Bolaji Osimen, highlighted the team’s efforts since their engagement by the present administration in 2023.
Mrs Osimen explained that the team initially conducted a baseline survey across schools in Abia to assess the sector’s needs where it engaged Teachers, Students, Traditional Rulers, and Community members to gather insights.
“The information we obtained formed the foundation for the programme being launched tomorrow“, she stated.
She further noted that the ERIT team consists of 180 professionals specializing in areas such as educational technology and technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
According to Osimen, their goal is to collaboratively address the challenges facing Nigeria’s education sector adding that the team has already begun training headteachers, principals, school support officers, and 2,000 teachers from various state-owned schools.
She informed that the trained educators woukd serve as master trainers, to equip other teachers across the state with relevant skills to improve teaching standards and learning outcomes.
