OSSAP-MDGs Partners Irish Firm On Quality Basic Education
The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Development Goals, OSSAP-MDGs has entered into a strategic partnership with a frontline Educational Resource firm, Education Media, Publishing Group International, based in Ireland and Gamma e-Solutions in a bid to ensure the Education MDGs and the Education for All (EFA) Goals are achieved.
This was the outcome of the meeting between the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Dr Precious Gbeneol and the Chairman of the EMPGI/e-Gamma Solutions, Barry O’Collaghen in Dublin, Ireland. The meeting was held in furtherance of Special MDGs Intervention on Quality Assurance in Curriculum Delivery for Basic Education initiative by the office.
A statement issued by Desmond Utomwen, Media Consultant to OSSAP-MDGs quoted the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Dr Precious Gbeneol as saying that the office was keen on bequeathing a quality basic education to every child of school age in the country.
“We have entered into partnership with EMPGI and Gamma e-Solutions to ensure quality learning in our schools through the deployment of innovative technology tools, as a precursor to a national rollout. It is therefore absolutely necessary for the EMPGI/e-Gamma partnership to work very hard in showcasing their very best and ensure that the pilot prove its worth and is seen to be totally successful. Then only can we proceed,” the statement quoted Gbeneol as saying.
The statement listed the terms of reference for the partnership to include introduction of e-learning in 7 pilot schools, one from each geo-political zone and the FCT; Capacity building for 3 teachers, one each for English Language, Mathematics, and Integrated Science and one Educational Administrator from the pilot school to be trained on how to use the new Technology; Provide Professional Support to all pilot schools to ensure optimum deployment of the new technology and teaching methodology throughout the duration of the pilot exercise/programme as well as develop the instrument for the assessment of the Learning Achievement (LA) in the pilot schools focusing on English Language, Mathematics and Integrated Science.
The partnership also requires the firm to provide useful information and specific recommendations on how e-learning can contribute to pupil’s learning achievement and develop evidence-based strategies for technology integration that contribute to high achievement for all pupils; establish a framework for the promotion and development of e-learning, including an e-learning strategy, which will be used to inform the OSSAP-MDGs further intervention to enhance the quality of Learning and Teaching Strategy across the Basic Education sub-sector; prepare a comprehensive Pilot Report to the OSSAP-MDGs that covers the above issues by the end of the pilot programme; advise on processes that allow for the identification, monitoring and management of risks that may emerge with developing e-learning capability; and liaise with the OSSAP-MDGs Education Unit on all matters relating to this (special) pilot intervention.
The statement further quoted Gbeneol as saying: “we hope to partner with you to strengthen our Social Protection System in order to remove financial barriers that hinder access to quality basic education. We plan to adopt synergies that ensure children enroll and stay in school especially in conflict-prone areas.”
