Federal Government Colleges would be used as pilot for training of secondary school teachers in the Strengthening Mathematics and Science Education (SMASE) project, the Supervising Minister of Education, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has said.
Addressing the opening of the second cohort of phase two, cycle two training for primary school teachers from Delta, Bauchi, Oyo, Taraba and Zamfara states at the SMASE centre, National Teachers Institute (NTI), Kaduna, Wike, who commended NTI for organising the project, said the project would be inculcated in pre service training of teachers.
The minister, who was represented by a Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Akaeze Chinwe, said the ministry would be collaborating with the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) to ensure that the project become a success, adding that the initial partner of the project the Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA) has ended its partnership with Nigeria on the project.
He said: “The SMASE inset training project started with the Federal Ministry of Education in conjunction with JICA to improve and strengthen mathematics and science education in primary schools extending down to secondary schools through in service training to improve teaching and science students learning.
“The project has undergone two phases, in 2009 three pilot states; Niger, Kaduna and Plateau started the programme. The second phase started in 2010 and just ended from observations the project is having positive impacts in education in Nigeria.
“The Ministry is collaborating with NCCE to ensure that the project is included in the pre service training of teachers. Federal UnityColleges would be used to pilot the secondary school teachers training.”
Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the NTI, Dr Aminu Ladan Sharehu, said the Nigerian SMASE programme was one of the best in Africa, adding that there had been calls to make the SMASE a regional programme.
“Our partnership with JICA on SMASE training has ended in February 2014, but because of the importance of the national training, we decided to find a way to continue with the training. NTI intend to have another meeting to chart ways in which the SMASE project would continue.”
