Teachers are moulders of better citizens, hence the need to keep training and retraining them, says Prof Pat Utomi
In preparation to train 60,000 teachers in five states and FCT (Edo, Delta, Lagos, Anambra, Ogun and FCT) in Nigeria, Prof Pat Utomi – a political Economist and Educationist – has visited Edo, Delta and Anambra states respectively to unveil his plan to train teachers in the states under the Pat Utomi Teachers Scholarship Initiative.
In Edo, he was received at the office of the Deputy Governor, Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu, who commended him for such benevolence on the teachers in the state.
Similarly, he was received at the office of the Director-General, Teachers Professional Development Centre in Delta – Dr Tony Dibashi at the Agbor offices of the Centre in Delta State. And in Awka, he was received by the Governor of Anambra state minutes after he was sworn in as the new helmsman of the state.
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The newly sworn-in Governor, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo who demonstrated he will be governor with a difference with the priority he gave to the subject of teacher quality expressed his gratitude to Prof Pat Utomi as well as 1 Million Teachers, represented by Oluwaseyi Anifowose, the Director Strategic Partnerships, for considering his state for this great opportunity.
Prof Soludo remarked that as expressed in his inauguration speech his administration will pay close attention to education in the state and gave his commitment to developing teachers’ quality and competence through this programme.
Utomi explained that tutors play a significant role in nation building because a nation is built by its citizens and citizens are moulded by teachers; hence the need to keep training and retraining them.
The beneficiaries of this scheme will receive lifetime access to the 1 Million Teachers online digital platform where they will be enrolled into the Black Belt Program. Utomi told the Governor More details on the program could be obtained on the phone website: www. 1millionteachers.com
According to Utomi, this scholarship is worth millions of dollars and will be made available to teachers for free in these states with the aim to improve the teachers’ classroom practices; to ensure that teachers perform at their best to enhance students’ learning; to help them stay abreast of emerging challenges, and ultimately help them build capacity for personal and professional effectiveness.
1 Million Teachers, a global NGO supported by a leading Canadian University is currently Training teachers in 16 African countries.
Utomi paid tributes to the founder of 1 Million Teachers for honouring him with the partnership for the generous scholarships.
Utomi who has been chairman of the Panel of judges for the Maltina Teacher of for 8 years also celebrated the year competition praised the Nigerian teacher who performs in the most difficult circumstances