At least 1,480 selected teachers in rural and hard-to-reach schools across the 36 states and FCT had been trained with skills in multigrade pedagogies.

Multigrade pedagogy involves assigning a teacher to work with small groups of children of different grade levels in the same classroom.

The executive secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Hamid Bobboyi, disclosed this at a capacity-building workshop in Abuja on Monday.

The executive secretary said the programme aimed to provide quality basic education to every Nigerian child, particularly in areas where teachers are hardly available due to bad terrain.

Mr Bobboyi, represented by the deputy executive secretary of UBEC, Bala Zakari, said the initiative imbued teachers with a mindset for embracing diversity, innovation, collaboration, and motivation for improved learning outcomes.

He disclosed that 40 teachers were selected for the programme in each of the 36 states and the FCT.

“You are all aware that one of the challenges bedevilling the UBE implementation in Nigeria is the inability of some learners to access quality education that translates to improved learning outcomes due to their location.

“Some who have access in rural areas do not have the opportunity to have teachers available due to the challenge of bad terrain.

“The consequence of this is low enrolment and an increase in the number of out-of-school children as learners lose interest in education and drop out of school,” said Mr Bobboyi.

Mr Bobboyi noted that the training was apt considering the general outcry by stakeholders over the dearth of teaching staff in rural and hard-to-reach schools.

He explained that the commission, in its 2022 census, discovered that about two million teachers were manning over 46 million learners in the country, a situation he said required urgent attention.

“In a world where classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse and complex, it is essential for teachers to be equipped with strategies that will enable them to effectively engage and support learners irrespective of their age, ability, interest and socio-economic background,” he said.

He pledged the federal government’s commitment to addressing whatever challenges face effective teaching and learning while ensuring that all learners can effectively compete with their contemporaries globally.

On her part, the director, Basic Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Folake Olatunji-David, said the training would offer a framework for effective teaching in classrooms with students of multiple age groups and varying learning abilities.

Ms Olatunji-David, represented by a deputy director in the ministry, Israel Adedotun, commended teachers in hard-to-reach and rural areas, saying their passion for education played a vital role in building the future of our nation.

(NAN)