By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu

The Lagos State Ministry of Basic Secondary School Education in conjunction with Darsel Mathematics Learning Platform, a U.S.-based non-governmental organisation, and Sapphire Exploits 21st Century Skill Consulting Ltd., have trained 100 mathematics teachers.

The teachers are those who teach in Junior Secondary School (JSS) classes.

Mrs Wunmi Alalade, CEO, Sapphire Exploits 21st Century Skill Consulting Ltd., said that the initiative, “Artificial Intelligence Powered Chat Board System’’, a curriculum based system, was to support teachers on effective teaching of the subject and monitoring of the students.

The one-day event held at the Lagos State Education Resource Centre, in Ojodu, Lagos.

Alalade, a retired teacher from Lagos State Ministry of Education, said that there was need for the students preparing for the 2023/2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to perform credibly in mathematics.

“I feel that one way I can help my colleagues and give back as a retired teacher in Lagos, is to use technology to improve teaching and learning, particularly in mathematics, been a critical and important subject.

“ It covers curriculum from JSS1 to JSS3 and they use the platform to approach questions, while the teachers monitor their activities through the code attached to each student,” she explained.

She noted that the training, which began virtually in November 2023,  was to engage the teachers on how to approach their students.

“After the observers’ visit last month, we realised that there is need to have a face-to-face engagement.

“ The main idea is to address challenges that the teachers and students have encountered so far and to see how best we can solve it so that the project can be thoroughly executed.

“ The participants were drawn from teachers in the junior arms of public secondary school across the six educational districts and it’s to support the learners as they begin to prepare for their BECE.

“ It is also to promote self-directed learning and practice of mathematics concept, covering the Junior Secondary School Nigerian Curriculum in public schools across Lagos State,” she added.

Alalade said that her interest was to give back to the state and contribute her quota that would help students improve in mathematics, been a major and required subject.

Meanwhile, she commended  Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun, the state’s Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, for creating an enabling environment for the programme and being passionate about digital education.

She disclosed that efforts were being made to extend the opportunity to more teachers in the next academic session through the Department of Science and Technology under the Ministry, to align with Gov. Sanwo-Olu’s T.H.E.M.E.S. Agenda.

Meanwhile, Mrs Adedeji Aderonke from Education District 2, who described the programme as a wonderful and welcome development, said it would  motivate teachers and help the students to know more and how to solve problems in mathematics, which students usually tag as ‘difficult’.

Also, Alli Bukola, from District six, however, appealed to parents to complement the effort of the organisers by making the devices available within a specific time so that the students could access the platform and benefit from the curriculum. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Folasade Adeniran