No fewer than 400 teachers and school leaders in Bayelsa have commenced a five-day capacity-building programme aimed at strengthening teaching quality and school leadership.

The programme, organised by the Bayelsa State Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF), in partnership with the British Council and Teachers Training Registration and Certification Board (TTRCB), is the fifth batch of the initiative.

It focuses on English language proficiency, digital teaching methods, classroom engagement and leadership development.

Declaring the training open, the Commissioner for Education, Dr Gentle Emelah, said improved proficiency in English remained critical to enhancing students’ academic performance.

Emelah said the state had transformed from an educationally disadvantaged state to one now ranked among Nigeria’s top 10 in educational standards.

He urged participants to maximise the opportunity by acquiring practical skills that would improve their professional competence and students’ learning outcomes.

The Executive Secretary of EDTF, Prof. Ebimieowei Etebu, said the initiative was part of efforts to strengthen education delivery and build a more effective teaching workforce.

Etebu challenged teachers and school leaders to embrace digital tools and emerging teaching approaches, despite the challenges associated with their adoption.

He said the success of the programme would ultimately be measured by its impact on classroom instruction and learning outcomes.

Mr Fwanshishak Daniel, Team Leader of the British Council delegation, described Bayelsa as a national pace-setter in teacher development.

Daniel said innovations piloted in the state, including teacher accountability learning contracts and government-funded mobile data for self-directed learning, were now being adopted elsewhere in Nigeria.

He attributed the initiatives to improved teacher participation and performance in professional development programmes.

Also speaking, the Chairman of TTRCB, Dr Stellar Ugolo, urged teachers to uphold professional standards, discipline and effective classroom management.

The Executive Secretary/Permanent Secretary of the Post Primary Schools Board, Faith Ogbara, reaffirmed the board’s support for continuous teacher development.

Ogbara said sustained investment in teachers remained essential to raising education standards and improving learning outcomes across the state.

The training combines practical classroom engagement tools, digital integration strategies and school leadership modules designed to equip educators with skills relevant to the changing demands of teaching.

The initiative is expected to strengthen teaching practices and improve the quality of education delivery across primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa.