…Says Exercise Will Boost Enrollment,.
The Executive Chairman of the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Femi Akinwumi has flagged off a 3-day Capacity Building Training for Social Mobilization Officers (SMOs) and relevant Education Stakeholders across the state.
Prof. Akinwumi stated that the training marks the beginning of the implementation of the Board’s Action Plan for Social Mobilization, aimed at strengthening grassroots mobilization and driving a significant increment in school enrollment across Ekiti State.
Akinwumi, while speaking at the flag-off ceremony held in Ado-Ekiti, said that the core mandate of the training is to equip officers to penetrate rural and hard-to-reach areas of the state to ensure no child is left behind.
The SUBEB boss charged the participants to see their assignment as critical to the future of basic education in the state, noting that their marching order is to source out children who are not in school.
“Your marching order is to source out those kids that are not in school. We need to increase enrollment and bring the out-of-school children phenomenon to zero.”
The Chairman, while appreciating the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, for his unwavering passion for basic education, demonstrated through the prompt payment of counterpart funds, assured that the Board has ensured judicious use of the funds for the development of basic education in the state.
On the ongoing teacher recruitment exercise, the Executive Chairman disclosed the process for the exercise to include CBT exams with a high cut-off mark and interview which is designed to ensure only good teachers are recruited for quality delivery and improved teaching and learning outcomes in public primary schools.
He also announced adjustments to be made in the increase to the number of Social Mobilization Officers to enhance efficiency and wider coverage.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Michael Omolayo expressed confidence in the facilitators for the training, boasting of their capability to deliver and calling on all participants to show positive participation and commitment throughout the 3-day exercise.
Mr Omolayo reiterated the commitment of the Board to reposition basic education and set it on greater heights.
The Director, Social Mobilization, Mrs Olayinka Ayodele, who is the host Director of the programme, in her welcome address, expressed profound appreciation to the Executive Chairman, Prof. Femi Akinwumi and the Board Management for approving and supporting the training.
Mrs Ayodele described the training as timely and strategic, noting that it will re-tool Social Mobilization Officers with modern techniques in community advocacy, stakeholder engagement, data-driven enrollment drive and effective communication to tackle out-of-school phenomenon.
According to her, “As host department, we are fully prepared. This training is not just a workshop; it is a call to action. We are going back to the grassroots with renewed strategies to sensitize parents, traditional leaders, and community influencers on the importance of enrolling every school-age child. Our target is clear – every child in Ekiti must be in school.”
Ayodele assured the Board that the Social Mobilization Department will ensure that the knowledge gained is translated into measurable results in school enrollment and retention across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state.
She also charged participants to be attentive, participatory and to cascade the knowledge to other stakeholders at the LGA level.
The flag-off ceremony had in attendance Directors of the Board, SUBEB Desk Officers, representatives of CSOs, SBMCs, and other education stakeholders.
The 3-day training continued with technical sessions facilitated by seasoned resource persons, Dr. Muhammed Shuaibu and Mr Douglas Wotin.
