13,128 pupils, 789 teachers benefit from Chevron video-learning project in Delta

NO fewer than 13,128 pupils and 789 teachers have benefitted from a video-in-the-classroom project sponsored by Chevron Nigeria Ltd (CNL) in partnership with the Delta State Ministry of Education and managed by the Discovery Learning Alliance (DLA).

The programme started in 2013 and was specially designed to enhance the standard of education in the state.

It was carefully implemented by DLA in 10 selected primary schools namely: Ogunnu, Agbeje, Ojojo, Cavegina, Mowoe, Edjeba, Ubeji, Ogbe-Ijoh, and Evwreke primary schools from Warri South, Okpe, Uvwie and Warri South West local government areas of the state,

Each of the 10 selected primary schools was provided with a generating set, a video library, two television sets and DVD players; one for teachers to preview content and plan lessons and the other for classroom use.

Speaking at the handover ceremony of the Chevron-DLA Learning Centres Initiative to the schools and communities after five years of successful sponsorship, Chevron’s General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs (PGPA), Mr Esimaje Brikinn, said the programme was part of the company’s social investment initiatives.

“This is another demonstration of Chevron’s commitment to investing in strategic partnerships and programmes that improve the socioeconomic situation of communities in the areas and countries where we operate.

“We’re celebrating the programme completion of the 10 schools which have benefitted from the Chevron-DLA Learning Centre Initiative in Delta State.

“We appreciate the state government, DLA, and other stakeholders for making the fives years of hard work gratifying and a success,” Mr Brikinn enthused.

The CNL GM, who was represented by the Senior Government Affairs Advisor PDPA, Mr Happy Appai, disclosed that at the end of the five-year partnership initiative, the goals to enhance educational opportunities for children and communities, improve students learning and motivation, increase teachers’ effectiveness and parent/community involvement in schools were accomplished.

According to him, a report from an external evaluator “showed significant improvement in performance in state-administered School Leaving Examination, the effectiveness of teachers in the classroom and students’ participation and performance in the classroom.

He added that the rate of students’ attendance, parental and community participation in school activities, impact in communities as well as awareness and access to information on health and environment issues had improved tremendously.

The GM, who reiterated CNL’s commitment to the development of education, health delivery and economic development of its host communities, affirmed that the company has officially handed over the project initiative to the schools.

He urged the schools and communities to maintain and preserve the educational videos, DVD players, television and the generating sets along other equipment to continue to serve the purpose for which they were purchased.

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Several speakers lauded the Chevron/DLA partnership initiative, rolling out testimonials to back up the success story.

Regional Project Director of DLA, Dr Mrs Felicia Moh, stated that the “little seed sowed five years ago has begun to yield sweet fruits and people are benefitting from it.”

Dr Moh, who lauded Chevron for its conscientious sponsorship of the video-in-the-classroom project, disclosed that DLA already has over 800 centres in Nigeria and 700 in Ghana and other parts of Africa.

She noted that the NGO focuses on training teachers, being the foundation of education and arm them with proper tools who now, in turn, deploy the acquired skills and knowledge to impart the pupils.

The seasoned educationist, who decried the huge education gap in the area of infrastructure and training of teachers in public primary schools, called on all stakeholders to support the government in reducing the gaps.

“There is a huge education gap. There’s a huge infrastructural gap and training of teachers. There’s also a gap in instructional resources, I think it’s wrong for the government to take up all; I mean it’s not quite possible for them to take up every aspect of this.

“So, I believe that education for all is the responsibility of everyone.

The government does, NGOs do, companies also help, anybody who can help should not hesitate to do so,” Dr Moh opined highlighting challenges in public schools.

Meanwhile, a former head teacher and chairperson of the Association of Public Primary School Headteachers of Nigeria (AOPPSHON), Lady Shola Abigor, has pleaded with CNL to extend the sponsorship of the video-in-classroom project to five more schools even if it’s for just a year.

She said through the audiovisual teaching aide, her transfer from Warri to Ogunnu Primary School in 2011 as the head teacher was memorable as pupils who had hitherto sat the Primary Six Examinations and had 70.73 per cent pass rate moved to 98.18 per cent in 2013/2014 when the programme started.

According to her, the academic improvement continued among the pupils as the success rate jumped to 100 per cent in 2014/2015 session with the same feat replicated in the remaining nine other schools which were benefitting from the project.

Lady Abigor commended CNL for the initiative, urging individuals and other companies operating in the area to emulate Chevron in their corporate social responsibility package.

TribuneOnline reports that teachers from the 10 selected schools went through numerous teacher-training workshops where they were trained in the use of educational videos in the classroom.

Members of host communities of each of the schools also reportedly went through two training workshops that exposed them to the gains of the project and why they should support the initiative and the roles they should play.

Highlighting the benefits derived by the pupils, Elder Mrs Alice Nwosibe, a retired teacher at Ekpan Primary School, opined that the DLA programme practically brought the entire globe into the classroom and has greatly improved the rate of learning among pupils.

According to the elder, the method of teaching births population explosion to the schools stimulates the interest of pupils to learn, help pupils to be creative and learn faster, gives fun and effective form of learning makes teaching easier for teachers, and improvement in external examination results of pupils.

TribuneOnline reports that pupils were at the ceremony exhibited great creativity and knowledge in their academic presentations and cultural performances which evoked nostalgia and thrilled the audience.

Representatives of the beneficiary schools were presented with plaques and certificates as a symbolic handing over from Chevron/DLA to the schools and communities who were enjoined to protect the teaching aids, keep the programme alive as well as improve on it.

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