NEWS
Abia Smart Schools: BlueGiraffe Begins Training of Teachers Ahead of Resumption
Abia Smart Schools: BlueGiraffe Begins Training of Teachers Ahead of Resumption
Ahead of the resumption of academic activities in Abia State, BlueGiraffe has commenced a specialised training programme for teachers selected to man the state’s Smart Schools, equipping them with modern teaching techniques and digital skills required to operate effectively in a technology-driven learning environment.
The training, held at Community Primary School, Umuomaiukwu, in Isiala-Ngwa North Local Government Area, is focused on 21st-century teaching methods, blended learning and the effective utilisation of the digital facilities being deployed across the Smart Schools.
The programme is designed to prepare teachers not only to operate the technology available in the classrooms but also to transform the way lessons are delivered, making learning more interactive, collaborative and relevant to the demands of the modern world.
Speaking during the exercise, the programme facilitator and Managing Director/CEO of BlueGiraffe, Mrs. Orieji Okwara-Emele, explained that the training would be sustained beyond the initial sessions to ensure that teachers continually adapt to emerging developments in technology and modern education.
She said the approach would move classroom learning away from an overdependence on memorisation and cramming, while encouraging pupils to develop essential skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.
Okwara-Emele, an Abia-born education expert, also called on parents to ensure that their children attend school regularly and make full use of the opportunities created through the Smart Schools initiative of Governor Alex Chioma Otti, OFR.
According to her, the Smart Schools represent an important investment in the future of Abia children by exposing them to the knowledge, skills and technology required to compete favourably with their counterparts around the world.
She commended Governor Otti for what she described as his uncommon commitment to transforming education in the state, noting that his administration had demonstrated a deliberate determination to ensure that Abia schoolchildren are not left behind in the rapidly advancing digital age.
Also speaking, a BlueGiraffe instructor, Victoria Ikedichi, stressed the importance of ensuring that teachers are sufficiently comfortable with technology to maximise the facilities available in the Smart Schools.
She explained that teachers would be trained to use smart boards and laptops, while pupils would have access to tablets as part of the technology-enabled learning system.
Ikedichi disclosed that subsequent training sessions would delve deeper into the operation of the Smart Schools, modern assessment techniques, the Learning Management System, Student Management System and other digital learning tools.
She further revealed that pupils would also be introduced to the fundamentals of artificial intelligence in ways appropriate to their ages and levels of development, giving them early exposure to one of the technologies shaping the future of education and work.
The training has already generated excitement among participating teachers, who described it as a major opportunity to upgrade their professional and technological capabilities.
One of the trainees, Mr. Nwagbara Dike Emmanuel, said the programme would strengthen teachers’ Information and Communication Technology skills and ultimately make teaching and learning easier, faster and more accessible.
Another participant, Mrs. Ruth Chidiebere Udeonye, described the initiative as massive, stressing that it provides teachers with a significant opportunity to expand their knowledge and improve their capacity.
The trainees expressed appreciation for the opportunity, acknowledging the importance of the initiative as Abia moves towards a more technology-driven education system.
With the training now underway, the Smart Schools are poised to usher teachers and pupils into a new era of learning in Abia, where digital tools, critical thinking and practical skills are expected to complement conven
tional classroom instruction.
