The Centre for Human Resource Development (CHRD) of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has organized a two-day capacity-building workshop for teachers of the NOUN Staff School in Kaduna. This initiative aims to enhance their teaching skills and prepare them for the implementation of Nigeria’s 2025 education curriculum.

At the opening ceremony of the workshop, themed “Inclusive Pedagogy and Assessment in the Classroom,” Dr. Amos Iliya, Director of CHRD, emphasized the importance of the training. He noted that the school is entering a new phase with the rollout of the 2025 education curriculum and the commencement of Basic 7.

Dr. Iliya remarked that these developments necessitate an update in teachers' knowledge, teaching methods, lesson-planning techniques, and assessment practices. He pointed out that it had been a considerable time since a comprehensive capacity-building workshop was last held for the Staff School, underscoring the dynamic nature of the teaching profession and the need for continuous professional development.

“No school can grow beyond the quality of its teachers,” Dr. Iliya stated, highlighting that the quality of teaching significantly influences learning outcomes. He further explained that the workshop's theme was particularly relevant, as classrooms today include learners with diverse abilities, backgrounds, learning needs, and experiences.

He stressed the necessity for teachers to acknowledge these differences and adopt inclusive teaching approaches that allow every learner to participate meaningfully and achieve appropriate learning outcomes.

The workshop addressed key aspects of teaching and learning, such as the teaching profession, learner diversity, suitable pedagogical approaches, inclusive classroom lesson planning, and assessment tools. Participants were encouraged to engage actively in the sessions and consider how to apply the knowledge gained directly in their classrooms.

Dr. Iliya urged the teachers to take the training seriously, cautioning against viewing it merely as another program or an opportunity to obtain certificates. He described it as an investment in their professional growth and, more importantly, in the future of the children entrusted to their care.

He encouraged participants to contribute actively, ask questions, share their experiences, and learn from one another to maximize the benefits of the workshop.

After the training, Mrs. Amina Aliyu Musa expressed gratitude to Dr. Iliya and the University Management for organizing what she deemed a timely and impactful program. She noted that the workshop had broadened the teachers’ understanding of inclusive pedagogy, lesson planning, learner diversity, and contemporary assessment practices, particularly as they prepare to implement the new curriculum and commence Basic 7.

Mrs. Musa assured Dr. Iliya and the University Management that the teachers would apply the knowledge gained for the benefit of the pupils, reaffirming their commitment to the growth and development of the Staff School.

The two-day workshop featured presentations by three facilitators: Dr. Iliya, Dr. Felix Kayode Olakulehin of the Regional Training and Research Institute for Distance and Open Learning (RETRIDOL), and Dr. Emmanuel Femi Ashaolu of the NOUN Staff School, Kaduna.