Over 41,000 pupils’ education under threat in Bayelsa

Over 41,000 pupils in over 216 primary schools across four local government areas of Bayelsa State face disruption in their education due to a glitch in a focal education project, BayelsaPrime.

The glitch has also affected the output of over 3,000 headteachers and teachers in Sagbama, Ogbia, Yenagoa and Kolokuma/Opokuma local government areas of the state.

The BayelsaPrime programme, which commenced in January 2023, was expected to be expanded to the riverine Ekeremor, Southern Ijaw, Nembe and Brass local government areas this year.

The project recorded successes and gains by reducing the number of out-of-school children in the state, as enrollment increased by about 40,000 and provided books and smartphones for headteachers; tablets for teachers, monthly data and other teaching aids.

It also provided daily teaching schedules, examination questions and result sheets, as well as embarking on regular supervision across all the schools.

The project, which is also aimed at checking absenteeism amongst teachers and improving teacher/pupil interaction in class activities, in addition to reducing the number of out-of-school children, was hailed as a game changer by stakeholders.

However, our correspondent gathered that since the resumption of schools this academic year, teachers had yet to receive the daily teaching modules, causing disruptions in education delivery.

A concerned headteacher told journalists on Tuesday that “teachers are now teaching without lesson notes. Many teachers stay away saying there is nothing to teach.”

He added, “They helped me because of the teaching aspect. They encourage teachers. Then you would see teachers come to school on time because the technology would record the exact time they came into school.”

A group, Education Trust Minds, had Friday raised the alarm over the threat to primary education following the failure by BayelsaPrime to send its regular teaching materials since schools opened.

The Chairman of Education Trust Minds, Ebi Raphael, called on all stakeholders, including the state Ministry of Education, the state Universal Basic Education Board, and BayelsaPrime to resolve any issues for the project to continue.

When reached for comments on the development, the Executive Secretary of the Bayelsa State Universal Basic Education Board, Victor Okubonanabo, said they are trying to sort it out.
Okubinanabo informed that there is an indication that the glitch has to do with payment issues.

He added, “We are trying to sort it out. There was a payment problem. Now the governor is not around, when he returns it should be sorted out. A memo has been raised by the Commissioner for Education.”