The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), yesterday, commissioned its early grade reading resource center at its headquarters in Abuja, as a model for innovative instructional practices on reading.
In the last four years, the Northern Education Initiative Plus has collaborated with the NCCE to pilot a pre-service reading program in three colleges of education and a polytechnic in Bauchi and Sokoto states. The program prepared teacher educators to be reading teachers in the early grades in schools.
The project’s Chief of Party, Dr. Jordene Hale commissioned the center while on a familiarization visit to the Executive Secretary of the NCCE, Prof. Bappa Aliyu.
Hale commended the NCCE for its efforts to improve the quality of pre-service teacher education in Nigeria and provide teacher educators the opportunity to teach reading in ways that align with global best practices.
“I know that our work is not yet done but you have done a really great job so far. We will be happy to continue to support this partnership in the best way possible,” she said.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bappa Aliyu said the pilot reading program in Bauchi and Sokoto states improved the reading skills of benefitting pre-service teachers.
He mentioned that plans are ongoing to have all 82 Colleges of Education in Nigeria offer early grade reading as a course.
“The early grade reading content has been mainstreamed into the Nigeria Certificate in Education programs of Primary Education, English Language, Adult Education as well as the General Studies,” Aliyu said.
He added that this new reading paradigm will impact on the Federal Ministry of Education’s strategic plan to rebuild basic education in Nigeria.
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