Bayelsa State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Gentle Emelah, has rated Bayelsa Promoting Reform to Improve and Modernise Education (BayelsaPRIME) high, as he paid working visits to selected schools in the state.
 
Emelah, who was accompanied by officials of the Ministry, noted: “With BayelsaPRIME, we are building a very solid foundation for our educational system. Primary education is the bedrock of every educational system and if we get it right at this point, definitely, there is no limit to what we can achieve.”
 
BayelsaPRIME is a tech-based basic education reform programme employing modern technology, enhanced pedagogy, high-quality learning materials and tools to deliver better learning outcomes among pupils in 222 schools spread across four councils.
 
Launched early 2023, a first set of over 2,000 teachers was trained under the reform programme.

Speaking at Isaac Boro Model Primary School, Yenagoa, Emelah noted: “A situation where I can be in my office and monitor what is happening in any school is obviously very laudable. We are able to see how many teachers in school at any particular time and to know if they are teaching or not. These features make BayelsaPRIME unique. We see other states emulating us in the near future.”
 
He expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance by teachers with the reform and thanked Governor Douye Diri for introducing it.

“I won’t stop thanking the governor for this lofty initiative of bringing BayelsaPRIME. It is quite commendable,” he said.
 
The head teacher of Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education Primary School, Ebifegha Tarikiye Favour, who welcomed the commissioner to the school, stated that with BayelsaPRIME, teachers are less stressed as the programme is technology-based and removes the drudgery of lesson note development, replacing it with scientifically tested and proven lesson guides, which are delivering value to pupils.