The National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) in Kaduna is set to collaborate with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) project.
Prof. Musa Garba-Maitfasir, the Director and Chief Executive of the Institute, announced this development on Monday, following a recent collaborative meeting between NTI and JICA held in Abuja.
The project’s primary concern, as outlined in the report, centres on enhancing teacher competence to improve the teaching and learning processes.
The key areas of focus within the project include Leadership, Communication, and Support. NTI’s role will be to enhance the capacity of Nigerian teachers in proper SBMC implementation and ensure its sustainability for quality education.
During the meeting, Prof. Garba-Maitafsir expressed his appreciation for the support provided by JICA to the Institute and commended the Japanese Government, particularly the JICA Nigeria Office.
He also highlighted the administration’s efforts to renovate SMASE hostels at the Institute to enhance the training environment for participants.
Garba-Maitafsirr said that the SMASE project was well accepted in all states of the federation, saying, “…because of its positive impact, coupled with trained national trainers, who were trained internationally.”
The Director reassured the Japanese delegation that NTI is well-structured and equipped with the necessary facilities and qualified resource persons for collaborative training initiatives.
The Project Adviser from the JICA Nigeria Office, commended NTI’s dedication to sustaining the Strengthening Mathematics and Science Education project for over a decade, even after the exit of their previous partner.
Explaining the rationale behind selecting NTI, Armaya’u-Yabo highlighted the Institute’s active involvement in the development and implementation of UNICEF’s SBMC initiative in Nigeria.
NTI also played a significant role in the creation of the Whole School Development Plan (WSDP) and has provided training to numerous teachers and education managers.
Furthermore, JICA offered NTI two slots for nominated candidates to pursue a master’s degree in African Business Education, accompanied by a six-month internship.
