15 head teachers selected from public schools across Ogun state will pioneer the fellowship programme and will be equipped to drive holistic transformation in their schools
WED 11 AUG, 2021-theGBJournal- Teach for Nigeria, a non-profit organization focused on expanding educational and life opportunities for low-income children, has commenced the pioneer cohort of its School Leadership Development Fellowship Program with 15 headteachers in Ogun State. The headteachers were chosen from Teach for Nigeria partner schools across all local government areas in the state.
Teach For Nigeria School Leadership Fellowship Program is focused on equipping public school leaders with effective practical school leadership, management skills, and tools to place them in the best position to drive holistic transformation in their existing schools. The eight months fellowship will also provide them with the strategies and knowledge to maintain their relevance through this period of a global shift towards digitizing education. The program takes into consideration the relevant skills needed to ensure excellent education in Nigeria.
In a keynote speech delivered during a virtual opening ceremony to launch the commencement of the fellowship programme, the Director of Learning As I Teach (LAIT) Foundation, Dr Abimbola Ogundere, said, “I want to thank Teach For Nigeria for choosing LAIT Foundation as the key implementing partner of the School Leadership Development Program. LAIT Foundation is excited to equip, energize and empower these public school leaders to drive holistic transformation in underserved schools in low-income communities using our Succeeding at Leading a Learning Community executive coaching program framework. The coaching program promises to be intensive, transformative and life-changing. Participating headteachers will be empowered to transform themselves first and then, the schools they lead.”
Also speaking at the Opening Ceremony, the CEO, Teach For Nigeria, Folawe Omikunle, said, “One thing we all agree to at Teach For Nigeria is that addressing the challenges of providing quality education for all our children will require as many players and actors working collectively from different areas of the education ecosystem and beyond. It is in recognition of this that we are cultivating the leadership of students, young Nigerian leaders, community members, parents and more recently headteachers by developing a Leadership Program that helps heads of schools to unleash their leadership in addressing educational inequity while leading transformative schools public schools.”
The Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Ogun State, Chief Dr Femi Majekodunmi also commented, “I want to congratulate the successful participants for making it through the different stages of screening and interview process for the School Leadership eight months Fellowship Program. He encouraged the headteachers saying, “As school leaders, your role is crucial in achieving educational equity and I, therefore, urge you to be active at every session and document all the experiences on the program as it might be required to replicate the training to other headteachers in the state.” He went further to appreciate Teach For Nigeria for their impactful partnership in the advancement of education in the state.
With the School Leadership Development Fellowship Program, Teach For Nigeria hopes to increase the socio-emotional and leadership skills of headteachers to strengthen the learning ecosystem for all children in the school and support fellows’ to achieve their maximum potentials in their schools.
Participants will engage with course work online and onsite, mentorship with exceptional heads of schools across Nigeria and they will also be required to complete a project in their school or community dubbed “Be the Change Project” after which, they will be awarded a certificate after the successful completion.
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