By Popoola Jamiu, Abeokuta
The Chairman of the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Evangelist Olalekan Ifede, has urged distinguished educators in Ogun Central Senatorial District to intensify efforts towards the training and retraining of teachers, particularly in the area of technology-driven education.
Ifede gave the charge while receiving members of the Ogun Central Distinguished Educators at the board’s conference room in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The educators, drawn from the six local government areas in Ogun Central Senatorial District – Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Odeda, Ewekoro, Ifo and Obafemi-Owode – were selected based on their outstanding performances in state and national educational competitions.
The SUBEB chairman stressed that technology has become indispensable in addressing contemporary educational challenges and improving teaching and learning outcomes.
According to him, digital literacy and technological compliance are critical skills that teachers must acquire to remain effective in the modern classroom.
“You attained this level through discipline, self-development and continuous training. It is important that you continue to support the professional development of teachers, not only in technology but also in leadership and character building,” Ifede said.
He encouraged the educators to expand their initiative beyond Ogun Central to other senatorial districts in the state, enabling more teachers to benefit from their knowledge and experience.
Ifede also commended the 2025/2026 National Best Teacher, Ambassador Francis Solanke, for organising a handwriting development training programme for teachers in Abeokuta North Local Government Area, describing the initiative as a valuable contribution to improving educational standards.
In his remarks, SUBEB Permanent Member IV, Rt. Hon. Akeem Balogun, reiterated the board’s commitment to ensuring that pupils in public primary schools acquire strong literacy and communication skills.
Balogun praised the educators for their dedication to mentoring colleagues and promoting professional excellence, assuring them of the board’s continued support.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the 2024 Ogun State Overall Best Teacher and Chairperson of the Planning Committee, Mrs. Omotayo Akintunde, said the educators were united by a shared vision to strengthen teachers’ capacity, encourage innovation and enhance the quality of education delivery across the state.
She noted that the initiative aligns with the education reform agenda of Governor Dapo Abiodun and the leadership of the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu.
Akintunde disclosed that the group had successfully trained 88 public primary and secondary school portal administrators in Abeokuta South Local Government Area on the OgunLEARN platform, over 100 administrators in Odeda Local Government and 114 in Ifo Local Government.
She appealed to the board to create more opportunities for direct and hands-on teacher training programmes, expressing confidence that such interventions would further improve teaching standards and educational outcomes.
Akintunde added that the group plans to extend its capacity-building initiatives to other parts of the state while continuing to promote innovation and professional development among teachers.