By Omoruyi Patricia Osayomore
About five years ago, the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) Programmed was launched to transform the entire Edo education eco-system. Such reform revolves around partnerships, school infrastructure, community participation, leadership and governance. Other areas are education officers’ development and curriculum, regular welfare and training to foster success in the classroom.
The EdoBest programme commenced at the basic school level and subsequently absolved the post basic school education into its framework. EdoBEST is an entirely technologically driven education programme that extends across the three senatorial districts in Edo State to enhance both teachers’ capacity and students’ learning potentials for overall improvement and sustainability in attaining global standards with the ability to compete favourably with their peers anywhere around the world.
The findings of the State Government indicated that poor social and economic backgrounds of some parents in rural communities were among the factors responsible for learning deficit and mass illiteracy in time past. Thus, the decision to introduce the EdoBEST programme was to transform the State Education Eco-system to acceptable global standards.
The learning deficits and mass illiteracy made the young adults unable to secure lucrative employment and the option to their plight was irregular migration to Europe through the Sahara Desert for greener pastures. They were encouraged by their ignorant parents and immediate family members who believed that such ‘adventure’ would succeed and take care of their family’s financial needs.
The Governor Obaseki-led administration’s tuition-free Basic education in the State coupled with the introduction of the use of technology in teaching and learning is to encourage both the haves and have nots parents to send their children to school to acquire quality and competitive education.
The laudable innovation has resulted in drastic reduction in irregular migration and human trafficking across national borders. The current trend is that Edo people travel with genuine reasons among which are education and career advancement, vacation outside indigenous workers work environment, marital settlement with their spouse(s) overseas and casual visit to relatives.
The innovation has also curbed the challenges of learning deficits among pupils in the state. Statistics shows that they are now as intellectually competent as their peers in the developed world, judging by literacy and numeracy abilities.
Over time, the EdoBEST programme has also undergone some reviews and consolidations which have propelled it to accommodate the EdoBEST 2.0, which caters for the Post Basic Education and the EdoBEST @ Home Lessons. The EdoBEST @ Home Lessons is designed to keep the pupils and students engaged with academic activities during holiday periods.
The EdoBEST @ Home Lessons is a holiday learning programme that was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic by the State Ministry of Education in 2019. It is a teacher-student learning interface by using technological gadgets. It is also being engaged to cater for the 2023 second term holiday in the State.
Considering the diverse remarkable reforms being recorded in the State Education Eco-systems during the Governor Obaseki-led administration, Edo State has become a reference point that other states, countries and international organisations have come to understudy and applaud Edo State Government for its foresight in transforming the educational fortune of its people.
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