Enhancing Learning for All: Ekiti Govt Equips Teachers with Modern Teaching Skills.

Enhancing Learning for All: Ekiti Govt Equips Teachers with Modern Teaching Skills.

A two-day inclusive education training program for educators in special and mainstream schools in Ekiti State aimed at ensuring that all children, regardless of their abilities, receive quality education has successfully concluded. 

The initiative, organized through a collaboration between the Adolescent Girls' Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) and the Office of the Special Adviser on Special Education and Social Inclusion, focused on equipping teachers and non-teaching staff with modern strategies for inclusive education.

Held at the Government Special School for the Blind in Ikere-Ekiti, the training, themed "Technology-Driven Lessons and Inclusive Teaching Strategies," introduced participants to specialized techniques designed to improve the quality of education for children with special needs.

The objective was to ensure that these children receive the support necessary to excel academically and compete favorably with their peers in conventional schools.

Addressing participants at the event, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Education and Social Inclusion, Princess Adetoun Agboola, emphasized the importance of teachers being able to identify and understand the specific learning challenges faced by children with disabilities. 

She highlighted that early identification of a child's cognitive strengths and weaknesses is crucial for effective intervention.

"Every child has a cognitive profile that determines their strengths in areas such as concentration, reasoning, logic, perception, and language. By recognizing these, teachers can tailor their teaching methods to bring out the best in every child," she said.

Princess Agboola also pointed out that some children, though not classified as having disabilities, may struggle academically but excel in creative fields, urging teachers to nurture such talents and ensure that all students receive an education that supports their unique abilities.

Sharing their experiences, several participants expressed gratitude for the training, describing it as an eye-opener that had enhanced their approach to teaching.

A mathematics teacher from the Special School for the Blind, Ikere-Ekiti, Mr. Taiwo Tolulope, acknowledged that the training had helped him realize the need to adopt modern teaching techniques that cater to both children with disabilities and neurotypical children. 

Also, Mrs. Efoghe Queen Blessing, from the Government Special School for the Deaf, Ikoro-Ekiti, noted that she had learned valuable methods for identifying students' areas of difficulty and advocated for a redesign of the school syllabus to better accommodate children with disabilities, particularly during examinations.

A teacher from Babatope Memorial High School, Ikoro-Ekiti, Mr. Omotayo Temitope Olaoluwa, who also teaches at the Special School for the Deaf, admitted that teaching students with hearing impairments had been challenging due to communication barriers. 

He, however, revealed that the training had introduced him to various applications and software that would enable him to simplify subject topics, making learning more accessible for students, even in the absence of an interpreter.

Similarly, Mr. Sunday Forunsho from Ekiti Parapo College, Ido-Ekiti, emphasized that identifying children’s specific strengths early would allow parents and educators to focus resources on nurturing those abilities, ultimately helping them integrate seamlessly into society alongside their peers.