By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State Government and Microsoft Office, through its affiliate, ATB Techsoft Solutions, have concluded plans to train 18,000 teachers in the state on digital literacy and its application to learning during the current coronavirus pandemic that confined school children and students at home.
The programme tagged Work-From-Home, Remote Teaching and Learning for Lagos State Secondary School Teachers is set to commence on Monday, April 27, 2020.
Commissioner of the Education in the state, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, speaking on the programme, noted that the digital training will cover mentoring, observation, creating and sharing subject-specific content.
She also stated that the initiative will cover accessing interactive classes from mobile phones and devices, diagnosing and understanding learning needs and challenges, assigning homework, give feedbacks and auto-grade quizzes and tests remotely and internal stakeholders engagement.
Mrs Adefisayo noted that the coverage of the training will transform the overall technology transformation of the education system in the state.
Chairman of the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission, (TESCOM), Mrs Elizabeth Ariyo, in her remarks, noted that the highly robust course content and its sustainability on the long-term as part of Microsoft Office Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) will go a long way to be useful to the teachers.
The TESCOM Chairman also noted that the programme is easily accessible via mobile smartphones, Web browsers and robust platform for up to 1 million students, teachers and officials.
Mrs Ariyo applauded the efforts of Microsoft Office through their representative, ATB Techsoft Solutions, in utilising the stay-at-home period to equip, train and engage secondary schools teachers.
She added that this will enhance teachers’ performances in discharging their duties of imparting knowledge in the younger generations through the use of technology which is in line with the Education and Technology Pillar in the THEMES Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration and vision for teaching and learning in 21st Century Lagos.
Also speaking on the merits of the Digital literacy training programme, the Permanent Secretary, TESCOM, Mrs Toyin Awoseyi, expressed optimism that this laudable concept and initiative will enable teachers to discover the right digital skills, new mindsets, and behavioural skills appropriate in the new learning ecosystem for better students perform and global acceptance in their academics.
The Permanent Secretary urged teachers and other participants to take the programme seriously, and utilize these opportunities to its fullest while assuring that the state government will not relent in its commitment to improve the standard of teaching and learning outcomes in the State.
