The Lagos State government has begun virtual training programme for the public secondary school teachers across the six educational districts in the state, ahead of schools’ reopening after months of closure.

The three-day programme, which commenced last week and will end on August 14th, will feature Mrs Adenike Essiet, executive director of Action Health Incorporated;

Mr. Oladipupo Macjob, CEO of MACDIPTOY Consulting Limited; Mrs Omolayo Akinlade, director/HoD of the state’s Education Resource Centre, Ojodu and Mrs Adefehinti Ogbemudia, head of legal unit of the state’s ministry of education as guest speakers.

According to a statement by the head of public affairs unit of the state’s ministry of education, Mr Abayomi Kayode, the Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, said the training is designed to sharpen teachers’ knowledge and skills as regards the new reality posed by COVID-19 pandemic on the teaching profession and the education sector in general.

She said the teachers are expected to prepare well enough ahead of resumption so as to be able to perform with huge impacts on their studies and the society when normalcy returns.

Mrs. Adefisayo noted that the theme of the training, ‘Mitigating Strategies against Erosion in the Education Sector’, was germane going by the current global crisis which she said had given a new direction for all sectors, including education.

She said, more importantly, is the fact that the prolonged stay of students at home due to the pandemic would have subjected many students to such challenges as hunger, sexual abuse, domestic violence, emotional, social and psychological trauma.

“So, as a responsible government, we need to prepare our teachers for the demands of the new normal to enable them to cope conveniently with their students and others when schools are reopened,” she stressed.

Three key areas of focus, according to the commissioner, are ‘Graphology: An Essential Tool in Predictive Learning’, ‘Effective Communication for Developing, Maintaining an All-round Stable Learner’, and ‘Child’s Rights Laws: Where to Find Help for the Unstable Learner’.

She urged participants to give the training a deserved priority.

Earlier in her address of welcome, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Abosede Adelaja, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to improving students’ learning outcomes.