The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has concluded a 5-day training for head teachers and educational officers on effective school management in the 21st century.

The training was held in Benin City, the Edo State capital, for head teachers, education officers, and principals of Junior Secondary Schools with the theme, “Effective School Management in the 21st Century.”

The training was organized by UBEC in collaboration with the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) and the Edo State Government.

Speaking in one of the sessions, representative of the Acting Director General/Chief Executive of NIEPA, and senior Research Fellow of the Institute, Dr. Sunday Adegbesan, described education as an instrument for national development and social change in the National Policy on Education.

He noted that “the development of a nation depends on the quality of education provided for its citizens. It passes through different stages of development and is influenced by developments in science and technology.

“The quest for national development and the need to meet global changes led to reforms in policy and curriculum changes to meet the development needs. These changes are affected by curriculum and schooling. (The Asian Tigers have become a force to reckon with in the world of technology, computers, electronics, handsets, and automobiles, and they can feed themselves. What makes the difference is education.)”

According to him, to achieve the national goals on education various interventions should be put in place, including but not limited to the Teacher Professional Development, Universal Basic Education Act (2003), which makes basic education free, compulsory, and universal, provision of instructional facilities, Child rights acts, and curriculum review, among others

He further said, “The first phase of this workshop was held in Nasarawa, Gombe, and Kano States, representing the North Central, North East, and North West, respectively, while the second phase is taking place in Ondo, Ebonyi, and Edo States, representing the South West, South East, and South-South, is taking place simultaneously. Through this workshop, participants will be exposed to the following topical issues, among others: Effective school management in the 21st century, Roles of school heads in school management in the 21st century, School culture, Instructional leadership, Safe and violence-free schools, Climate change, Team building and collaborative problem-solving, Records and records management, and Stress management and mental health.

On her part, the Executive Chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs. Salami Ozavize, commended the organizer of the workshop for choosing Edo State as one of the centers in South-South geopolitical zones, noting that this was a testament to the progress made in education sector particularly the training and retraining of teachers in the state.

The chairman who was represented by the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board Training Desk Officer, Mrs Amarachi Itenebe, noted, “I am thrilled to see so many dedicated professionals coming together to learn, share, and grow. I want to thank each of you for your enthusiasm, commitment, and passion. Your presence here is a testament to your dedication to excellence and your desire to make a positive impact.”

In her remarks, the Edo State Coordinator, Universal Basic Education Commission, Mrs, Gloria Lawani, commended the organizers and sought for further collaboration.