Ben Ezechime, Enugu
Selected teachers across 226 post-primary schools in Anambra State, who are counselors have been trained to train other counselors in the educational zones of the state to achieve emotional stability among the students for educational prowess.
Two United States based Non-profit organisations, Life Care Coalition Outreach (LCCO) and Igwe Davison Okafor and Mercy Ikeanyi (iDOMi) Foundations in collaboration with Anambra Ministry of Education have trained 66 Guidance Counselors on ecological social emotional learning.
The two foundations have jointly organised a two-day international training/ Workshop with the theme “Envisioning an Ecological Classroom to Enhance Knowledge in Social- emotional Learning,” in the capital city of Anambra.
The Organisers said that the program was an annual event as the whole intention remained the sustainability of their father’s legacy who stopped at nothing to support and encourage people take education seriously and have passion in touching lives positively.
The two days train the trainers workshop was geared towards enhancing and addressing the overall needs of students, for improved learning and societal development.
Speaking at the occasion, the Coordinator, iDOMi, Dr Chinedu Ikeanyi, who is the son of late traditional ruler of Enugwu-Agidi in Njikoka Local Government Area of the state, explained that it was part of their desire to fulfil the continuous calls from the successive governments for repatriation of their knowledge to enrich the society.
Ikeanyi said that with social emotional learning, all the students would learn equally in diverse ways to impact positively in society because only those emotionally sound could adapt to learning easily.
Ikeanyi, while noting that the programme would be sustained in the same way they sustained their free medical programmes and scholarships, hinted that they would study the impact of the workshop/ training on the counselors to see how to improve in subsequent years for overall good of Anambra State residents and promotion of benefits of education.
Contributing, the LCCO Coordinator, Mrs Victoria Anago, explained that the programme would also empower counsellors to act as social workers in schools while improving the education system.
Anago added that the programme would instill in the teachers knowledge of improving in their subject teaching competence, while reaching out to all the students and make them access all the general education, improve their skills and capacities to become useful to society.
The Visiting speaker, Dr Sevaughn Banks, professor of social Work, California State University, Stanislaus,Thurrock,California, argued that ecological classroom was among the many educational models useful for addressing students learning and educational needs, while customising the school resources.
Speaking, the Director, Education Services, Anambra State, Post-Primary School Service Commission, Mrs Onwuka Ogonna, commended the organisers, assuring that the State would sustain the partnership, as well as monitor the counselors to ensure they implement what they have learnt for improved education.
Earlier, Chairman of the occasion and Vice President of COEASU, Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, Dr Churchill Okonkwo, hailed the initiative, noting that it would help teachers to improve in their teaching and learning in the changing world for impactful development.
Okonkwo, who argued that there was no need of doing the same thing same way and expecting a better result, urged teachers to invest in research to gather more knowledge of new technologies and methods of teaching so as to be fit in transferring same to students as the world evolve.
Dr DC Nwabunze, state chairman of colleges of education Academic Staff Union, said that the body had been consistent since 2004 they engaged in this philanthropic service.
Nwabunze said that Ikeanyi has a huge passion to offer service to people across all sectors of life; they are involved in health, environment development and education sectors, the effort he said was commendable.
Mrs Ogonna Onwuka, representing the ministry of education in post-primary school said that the Ministry is solid and stands in support with LCCO and iDOMi good intentions for education growth in the state.
Onwuka said that the body have the backing of the government in dishing out these wonderful training that will enhance the performance of both teachers and students.
She listed the 6 educational zones in the state with number of schools under each zone as follows: Awka 64, Aguata 52,Nnewi 49,Onitsha 33,Ogidi 40 and Otuocha 26 and said that with with good representation of all schools the knowledge garnered in the workshop would be reflected in all schools.
Revd Sr Amaka Asike from Handmaid’s Girls Secondary School Amansea described the sacrifice made by the team just to teach counselors newest methods of relating profitably amongst the students is commendable.
Asike said that with skills learned that both the principals, teachers and counselors in various schools of the state will have better ways to fish out students with emotional, psychological, economic challenges etc and provide needed care and love to get them back to right living.
Mrs Loretta Uzuagu, a participants from Aguata zone, said that schools under Aguata are up to 52 and that counselors under the zone would be engaged in workshops so as to achieve the essence of the two trainings and workshops.
