Wale Jagun
Nine hundred teachers from public and private secondary schools in Lagos East Senatorial District, who have completed the first phase of the Lagos East Teachers Fellowship Programme at Senator Abiru Innovation Lab (SAIL), graduated at the weekend.
The virtually graduation ceremony held via zoom, was attended by Sen. Adetokunbo Abiru, the Special Adviser to the lawmaker on Constituency Matters, Dr. Saheed Ibikunle, SAIL Hub Manager Mr. Deji Abisola, re:Learn by Co-creation Hub (Cc-Hub) team, graduating teachers, among others.
Abiru said the programme was aimed at enhancing the capacity of teachers, which would lead to improved learning by the pupils.
“In the last four weeks, over 900 teachers from our schools, private and public, have been learning modern ways of teaching, which is Inquiry Based Learning (IBL), how to use technological tools to develop teaching aids for their pupils, among others”, Sen. Abiru said.
“This is the first phase of the training designed for improving the quality of our teachers and equipping them for global relevance in this age of technology and innovation. Top 120 teachers will make it to the physical class, which shall be held in our new facility in Ikorodu over the next three months.”
The #DoingGood senator, who is executing his mandate through three pillars, namely legislative role, empowerment/facilitations and endowment, also said:
“The SAIL initiative falls under my endowment pillar, and it is resourced through my foundation, Tokunbo Abiru Constituency Team (TACT) Foundation and my goodwill as a chartered accountant, economist, accomplished banker and seasoned administrator”
Dr. Ibikunle, an accomplished educationist, commended Sen. Abiru’s efforts at developing the capacity of teachers, saying it aligned with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO’s) theme for the World Teachers’ Day 2022: ‘The transformation of education begins with teachers’.
“The transformation of education begins with the teachers. Teachers play a pivotal role in the development of young minds and all elements that ensure learning effectiveness rest on teachers”, Ibikunle said.
“Inquiry based learning should aim at instructional effectiveness. It must be brought into cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains. That is what will lead to total education”.
He charged graduating teachers to share the knowledge they have acquired and join hands to build an egalitarian society.
Graduands at the ceremony commended the Senator representing the Lagos East Senatorial District for his investment in education.
Maryam Ettu Odunami said: “Thank you so much. As I was learning, I was carrying my colleagues in the school along and they really loved it”.
Another elated teacher said: “ I am very proud to be part of Lagos East Teachers Fellowship Programme. It is highly pleasant”.
Outstanding teachers who were celebrated during the event include: Oladejo Mariam Opeyemi, Odueyingbo Rebecca Omolola, Koya Eloho Taiwo, Bello Abiola Ashirafdeen, Atilola Oluwaseun Joseph, Akinsowon Titilayo Damilola, Osoba Blessing Chinyere and Sobowale Adefolahan Olusesan.
SAIL Hub Manager, Deji Abisola said Senator Abiru has proven that politics is about service with the ways he has been implementing his #DoingGood agenda. He urged Lagos East residents to vote enmasse for him in 2023 to continue with the good works.
