AIFA Reading Society Commemorates Teacher’s Day with Conference
AIFA Reading Society has held the maiden edition of its AIFA Teachers’ Conference to celebrate teachers in Lagos State.
The Conference, with the theme, “Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery”, had in attendance teachers from government-owned primary and secondary schools in Lagos, representatives from the educational bodies responsible for teachers in government-owned schools in the State, and stakeholders in the education sector.
In the opening remarks, Dr. Peter Bamkole, Director, AIFA Reading Society and Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan Atlantic University, charged the teachers to see the importance of their profession in national development.
Bamkole highlighted the vital role literacy plays in the development of children and adults and commended AIFA Reading Society’s involvement in promoting literacy in government-owned schools in Lagos State through its various initiatives.
Mrs. Bunmi Lawson, Chief Executive Officer, EDFIN Microfinance Bank, in her keynote address, stated the importance of teachers in the education of any society, as without teachers, there will be no education.
She challenged the teachers to possess soft skills in addition to their technical expertise, extend the right values to the students and aim to improve in the execution of their jobs.
She also called on the government and stakeholders in the education sector to increase the remuneration of teachers, award scholarships to facilitate teacher training, especially in technology and accord teachers the respect they deserve.
Mrs. Mary Agbu, Founder, Multi-Plan Pathway and Mrs. Diana Ojuola, Lead Consultant, De Pulchritude Services, who both spoke on the topic “Employing Improved Teaching Methodologies for a 21st Century Classroom,” encouraged the attendees to employ creative methods in teaching the students.
Both facilitators challenged teachers to take advantage of available technology to research relevant ways to teach and use different learning environments to make learning an enjoyable activity.
Dr. Joy Isa, EdD, CMC, President, Isa School of Education and Mrs. Nene Dimowo, Director, Irisfield School, spoke on “Emotional intelligence for Effective Classroom Management”.
Isa addressed the issue of emotional intelligence from a teenager’s perspective and encouraged the teachers to adopt positive discipline techniques, use rewards, privileges, and praise, as well as model appropriate behaviours.
While commending the organisers, the teachers affirmed that it had exposed them to 21st century techniques that would aid their work and help them model the right values to their students.
Dimowo, in her presentation, challenged the teachers to apply emotional intelligence in their classrooms as it will help in understanding each student’s peculiarity and challenges and, consequently, improve their academic work.
In her closing remarks, Ms. Joy Lawal, Head of Operations of the Society, reiterated the society’s commitment to promoting sustainable education in Nigeria through its initiatives and called all present to support the Society in improving literacy and the reading culture in Nigeria.
