… Launches Project to Assist Indigent Students Resume
Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) has clamored for community leaders to help in identifying underprivileged children who may be unable to resume school on Monday, to enable them render support as necessary.
It also said the state would continue its remote-based learning for students even after schools reopen.
The Board called for their support in raising awareness about its blended learning programmes on radio and television as well as on various social media channels to ensure learning continues both in school and online after the resumption.
LASUBEB Chairman, Mr. Wahab Alawiye-King told the leaders who are also chairmen of School-Based Management Committees (SBMC) in the 20 Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) that it was necessary to bridge learning gaps as children resume.
He said COVID-19 safety protocols meant that schools cannot run fully for now thereby requiring staggered or shift classes to help pupils maintain physical distancing.
For the days pupils will be home, he said it was necessary they follow lessons broadcasted on radio, television as well as online.
He said: “Following the recommendations of expert educators and stakeholders that blended and remote learning strategies should be adopted to ensure that learning resumes and continues as smoothly as possible after interruption of the Coronavirus pandemic. This means that our existing multi-pronged remote learning platforms will be sustained post-pandemic – to complement and reinforce classroom lessons.
“Currently, the board runs remote learning classes on TV, radio and the web. Our television programme is designed to cater for pupils in lower and upper primary classes and special needs pupils are called the classroom in your home. The TV programme has generated commendations from stakeholders and with full sponsorship by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC),” he said.
Permanent Board Member in charge of social mobilisation, Mrs. Sijuade Idowu-Tiamiyu said feedback from learners who tuned in for the lessons while schools were closed was encouraging.
“When we started the structured distance learning programme, the feedback was fantastic. We had parents and pupils calling in. We had various feedback mechanism – through text messages, WhatsApp, or telephone calls during the programmes. We also used the gift system to encourage participation. Dufil Prima Foods provided gifts for children who were consistent in completing assessments,” she said.
Alawiye-King said the project of identifying vulnerable children and getting them to return to school would be tagged ‘Project Zero’.
He charged the SBMC to be on the lookout for children who fail to resume so the board could help address whatever needs they may have.
“Please help identify children who may not want to return to school because they have no shoes or uniforms so we can reach out to them,” he said.
As schools resume Monday, September 21, registration would begin for children six years and above into primary one classes of public schools.
The registration would last until October 23.
However, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos Ministry of Education, Mrs. Abosede Adelaja said on radio on Friday that the registered pupils would resume classes in November.
