The Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has announced that only teachers who have undergone phonics training will henceforth be deployed to handle foundation classes from Kindergarten 1 (KG1) to Primary 2 in public primary schools across the state.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening early literacy and improving pupils’ reading abilities through greater emphasis on phonics as a teaching methodology.
The Chairman of SUBEB, Evang. Olalekan Ifede, disclosed this while declaring open a two-day Capacity Development Programme on Phonics Masterclass for teachers in public primary schools across the state.
The programme, themed “Empowering Teachers with Effective Phonics Strategies for Improved Literacy Outcomes,” was held at Imo Methodist Primary School, Oke-Yeke, Abeokuta, the state capital.
Ifede explained that the effective implementation of phonics strategies would significantly improve pupils’ reading abilities, stressing that pupils should be able to read proficiently by the time they are promoted to Primary 3 if teachers properly apply the techniques.
He urged the participants to pay rapt attention throughout the training and ensure that the knowledge acquired was put into practice to make teaching and learning more effective and impactful in public schools.
The SUBEB Chairman also charged the participants to share the knowledge gained with other teachers in their respective schools, expressing confidence that the training would ultimately translate into improved learning outcomes across the state.
Ifede said the state government had continued to invest heavily in basic education, particularly in teacher training and the provision of infrastructure.
He urged head teachers and teachers to reciprocate the government’s efforts by maintaining a neat and presentable appearance whenever they attend school, stressing that their appearance should reflect the professionalism expected of educators.
Also speaking, Permanent Member IV of the Board, Rt. Hon. Akeem Balogun, urged the participants to make the training interactive and ensure that they returned to their schools better equipped to impart knowledge to their pupils.
The first resource person, Mrs. Bamidele Ifede, Proprietress of Frontliners Kiddies Nursery and Primary School, Ilishan-Remo, defined phonics as a method of teaching that train learners to read by helping them understand the relationship between letters and the sounds they represent.
She emphasised the importance of grouping pupils according to their abilities and urged teachers to ensure that every group recorded continuous improvement in learning.
She also highlighted the importance of tracing, drawing and painting activities for kindergarten learners, while stressing the need for teachers to teach the correct pronunciation of letter sounds.
The resource person took the participants through the fundamentals of phonics, including pronunciation, sound and letter identification, blending consonants and vowels, proper letter formation, and techniques for developing learners’ ability to read independently.
The second resource person, Mrs. Toyin Odusote, a lecturer at Sikiru Adetona College of Education, Omu-Ijebu, trained the participants on various handwriting methods and patterns, with particular emphasis on the correct formation of upper- and lower-case letters using two-dimensional exercise books.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Mrs. Oluwakemi Otemoye of Wesley Primary School, Ode-Remo, Remo North, and Mr. Adisa Adeola of Ipokia Local Government Primary School, Igbodoroju, appreciated the Board for organising the training.
They pledged to apply the knowledge acquired during the programme in their respective classrooms to improve teaching and learning outcomes.
