PCNI Presents Instructional Materials to Pupils, Teachers in North-east
Segun Awofadeji
As part of its Education Revitalization Programme, the Presidential Committee on North-east Initiative (PCNI) has presented educational and instructional materials to about 67,500 students and 6,750 teachers in schools across north-east states.
THISDAY checks revealed that in Bauchi State alone, about 7,500 students and 750 teachers are to benefit from the programme aimed at supporting learning and teaching of pupils and teachers in the state.
The Chairperson, Education Sub-committee of PCNI, Professor Hauwa Biu disclosed this recently during the launch and presentation of educational support materials to primary and secondary schools in Bauchi State by the committee held at Zaranda Hotel, Bauchi.
Biu said the launch is part of the PCNI project aimed at overcoming the challenges that near absence of quality learning and instructional materials pose to the educational attainment of the children in the state.
She also explained that the purpose of the intervention is not only to reverse the negative performance of the education sub-sector in the north-east sub-region before the insurgency, but to also invest in the future of the children, describing education as the key to the complete recovery of the north-east.
According to her, learning and instructional materials are also important requirements for the revitalisation of education, pointing out that PCNI is open to suggestions and partnerships that will fast track these interventions.
She however regretted that “2,295 teachers have been killed and 19,000 others displaced in Bornu, Yobe and Adamawa States in the last nine years, while about 1,500 schools have been destroyed since 2014 with over 1,280 casualties among teachers and students.
While acknowledging the efforts of stakeholders in rebuilding education in the north-east and facilitating access, she particularly appealed to the government of north eastern states, donors and government of friendly countries to assist in revitalising the sector.
She revealed that under the PCNI education revitalisation programme, the PCNI has trained over 3,000 primary school teachers in the northeast to boost their capacity in pedagogy, safety and trauma counselling skills, maintaining that preparations are under way to also train secondary school teachers.
In a goodwill message, the commissioner for education, represented by the Director, School Services, Ministry of Education, Hajiya Talatu Ahmad acknowledged the efforts of the PCNI in reversing all the negative indices associated with education in the north-east.