Lagos State Government has provided 300 electronic tablets for primary school teachers to enhance modern teaching practices in classrooms.
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The Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the tablets would help the teachers in organizing their lesson notes and schedule of duties.
The deputy governor noted that the training of teachers was a critical in realising the goal of building an education system relevant to the 21st century.
“We are determined to improve the teaching and learning environment.
“The training is to help in changing the essence of teaching and even know how they relate with the children and address them.
“Part of the training is giving the teachers skills. They are doing a great job because it is difficult and children are not easy to manage,” Hamzat said.
He stressed the need to empower and motivate the teachers through improved welfare in order to improve children’s learning outcome at the primary school level.
“Around the world, focus has always been on the provision of equipment for the classrooms so as to have a great classroom for learning; but those things do not teach children as it does not mean the children will come out well.
“You might have a great classroom but it does not make anything.
“Therefore, what the state government has done is to focus on the teachers as they are the common denominators.
“We are focusing on the teachers’ welfare, skills, their training and the way they approach it,” he said
The deputy governor said it was too early to measure the impact of Eko Excel on education but noted that the teaching method had changed and the teachers seemed to be more responsive.
“It has helped us in gathering information better through the equipment that was provided which will help us to geo-reference.
“For instance, if in class 4A in Agidingbi primary School, 20 students came to class or 21 children came at 9a.m., so why are they coming to school late? Is it that they are living far from school?
“So, It has helped us to get information so as to plan well. And in monitoring the attendance and time the teachers resume work.
“It is also giving us data to plan adequately and our teachers are also getting better,” he said
NAN reports that Eko EXCEL, an acronym which connotes Excellence in Child Education and Learning, is an initiative of the present administration in Lagos State.
It aimed at reforming the state educational system by deploying technology for effective classroom management and optimum performance for teachers and pupils.