By Uzo Ugwunze
The Unified Anambra State Universal Basic Education Teaching Modules for Primary Schools has been launched in Anambra State.
The event was held at the Archbishop Obiefuna Retreat and Conference Centre, Okpuno Awka during the annual Leadership Retreat of Headteachers, Officers-in-charge and Directors in the Basic Education sector.
Unveiling the Unified Teaching Modules, the State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, represented by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh commended the Head Teachers for assisting the Ministry of Education to implement Mr. Governor’s lofty agenda in the education of Anambra children.
Prof. Chuma-Udeh, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Ifeoma Agbaizu enjoined the teachers to keep up their good works, while treating the learners and the parents with greater understanding in view of the hardship in the country, assuring that the State Governor will meet their hearts’ desire.
Earlier in her address of welcome, the Executive Chairman, ASUBEB, Dr. Vera Nkiru Nwadinobi stated that curriculum is all about the planned experience given to a learner under the auspices of the school, which the National Education Research and Development Council (NERDC) normally develops and hands over to the experts to break down into the scheme of work.
She noted that the use of outdated and unreliable curriculum contents in the primary school was a problem the Board discovered during the Quality Assurance regular visits to schools and tackled promptly with the intervention of Mr. Governor, adding that the unified Teaching Modules will be made available to every teacher.
In a remark, the House Committee Chairman on Education, Hon. Anayo Okpaleke, represented by Hon. Augustine Ikeh appealed to the Headteachers to change their mindset and love their job, irrespective of their pay because the good of the society is in the hands of teachers.
Also speaking, the House Committee Chairman on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Ejike Okechukwu commended the Executive Chairman of ASUBEB, Dr. Nwadinobi for initiating the unified Teaching Modules for Primary Schools in the State, which he said will result to a uniformity in teaching and learning across the State, while urging the Quality Assurance Unit to monitor its implementation.
Presenting her report, the Chairman, Curriculum Content Review Committee, Lady Stella Ezepue, who is also the Director of Quality Assurance, ASUBEB, Awka noted that the idea of curriculum contents review in the State was to entrench uniformity of the scheme to of work across the State; digitalisation of scheme of work for easy access, and to key into the current educational reforms in the country.
In their separate comments, the Board Secretary, ASUBEB, Hon. Ebele Mgbemena and Member III, Lady Theresa Azodo commended Gov. Charles Soludo for his commitment to better education for Anambra children.
Reacting, some of the participants, including the Headteacher of New Bethel Primary School, Onitsha, Mrs Anulika Okonkwo and that of Umuagbuncha Primary School, Ulli, Pst. Chigozie Unachukwu extolled ASUBEB for the laudable project which they promised to step down to their teachers.
Highlights of the event was Flag-off of the Unified Teaching Modules and drama presentation by the Curriculum Content Review Committee.