306 Teachers Undergo Capacity Building as Katsina Tackles Learning Crisis

The Katsina State Government has commenced a five-day intensive training programme for 306 teachers aimed at improving classroom performance and addressing the growing learning crisis in basic education.

The capacity-building initiative, based on the Learning Lab Approach, is being held concurrently in Funtua, Malumfashi, and Kankia Local Government Areas.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), similar workshops had previously been conducted in Katsina, Daura, and Dutsin-Ma, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen teachers’ professional skills across the state.

Speaking at the Kankia centre on Wednesday, the Local Government Education Secretary, Hamisu Isah, praised UNICEF for supporting the programme, noting that it offers teachers the opportunity to exchange ideas and adopt innovative classroom strategies to enhance pupils’ engagement and academic performance.

Isah added that the training aligns with the state government’s goal of improving foundational literacy and numeracy through quality teaching at the basic education level.

At the Funtua centre, Education Secretary Hajiya Maryam Babajo commended the Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for organizing the exercise. She also acknowledged the consistent support of UNICEF and SUBEB in strengthening the quality of basic education through teacher training.

Mr. Danjuma Yusuf, Team Lead for Facilitators, explained that the Learning Lab model promotes learner-centred and inclusive education.

He further noted that UNICEF’s School-Based Teacher Professional Development (SBTPD) initiative was designed to provide direct, hands-on training to teachers and education experts, rather than through the traditional cascaded method that often dilutes content and impact.

“When teachers teach effectively, learning naturally follows. You’ll notice pupils reading more fluently and performing better because they’re receiving the right instruction,” Yusuf emphasized.