Obaseki expands EdoBEST programme to secondary schools, tertiary institutions

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, yesterday, expanded the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme to capture secondary schools and tertiary institutions in the state.

Unveiling the EdoBEST 2.0 programme at the Government House, Benin City, Obaseki said the expansion became necessary to ensure that secondary schools and tertiary institutions benefited from the gains of digital teaching in primary schools through the EdoBEST programme inaugurated in 2018.

“As far as we are concerned, the EdoBEST programme is one of our greatest achievements. We are happy that it has gained global and local recognition. We want to replicate the successes and achievements we have made in EdoBEST to EdoBEST 2.0, meant to capture our secondary schools and higher institutions in our state,” he said.

Commending the Chairperson, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (Edo-SUBEB), Dr. Joan Osa-Oviawe, for ensuring the success of the initiative, Obaseki said: “I don’t see how EdoBEST would have been successful if not for Osa-Oviawe and her team.
“You have helped us to build the children to primary six level. So, today we are unveiling the EdoBEST 2.0 to ensure that the gains recorded at the basic education level are sustained after the first six years. Our kids are now learning better, their level is about 70 per cent of their colleagues in Europe and Asia. They are far from their colleagues in Nigeria.”

On her part, Osa-Oviawe said the state had achieved 91 per cent teachers’ attendance in Edo State lessons completion rate of 81 per cent, adding that the focus was to achieve 100 per cent.

“We also recorded 17 per cent increase in enrollment in public schools, amounting to 21,000 pupils switching from private schools to the public education system across the state,” she added.

“The COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t stop the progress of EdoBEST, as teachers created over 7,000 visual classrooms to enable pupils to continue with their learning. Contents were uploaded on our website to ensure continuity, despite global shutdown occasioned by COVID-19,” she added.

Responding, a pupil of Iguodala Primary School, Stephanie Osewengie, commended Governor Obaseki for improving the standard of basic education in the state.