PBA Reporter
Renowned political Economist and Educationist, Prof Pat Utomi has met with Anambra Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Edo Deputy Governor, Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu and discussed plans of training teachers in their states.
This is in preparation to train 60,000 teachers in five states (Edo, Delta, Lagos, Anambra, Ogun) and FCT in Nigeria.
Prof Utomi who has secured partnership with 1 Million Teachers Inc. for the teachers’ training, visited Edo, Delta and Anambra states respectively to unveil his plan to train teachers in the states under the Pat Utomi Teachers Scholarship Initiative.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIn 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 by Dr Tony Dibashi, Director-General, Teachers Professional Development Centre in Delta, at their office in Agbor, and in Awka by the Governor of Anambra state minutes after he was sworn in as the new helmsman of the state.
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.
READ ALSO: Soludo Will Deliver Good Governance – Archbishop Okeke, Utomi, Bianca, Obi
Utomi explained that teachers 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.
Beneficiaries of the scheme will receive a 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 website: www.1millionteachers.com
According to Utomi, the scholarship is worth millions of dollars and will be made available to teachers for free in the selected 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 honoring him with the partnership for the generous scholarships.
Utomi who has been chairman of the panel of judges for the Maltina Teacher of the Year Awards Competition for 8 years, also celebrated the Nigerian teacher who performs in the most difficult circumstances.
