The Federal University of Education, Pankshin (FUEP), has hosted a capacity-building programme organised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (UNESCO-IICBA), aimed at strengthening teachers’ professional competencies through mobile-based learning and digital technologies.
The programme is implemented by UNESCO-IICBA in partnership with the Pan African University (PAU), under the Pan-African Virtual and Electronic University Initiative, with support from the Government of Japan and technical assistance from Castalia Co. Ltd, Japan.
The initiative is designed to support teachers’ professional development in five African countries: Algeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria and South Sudan.
In Nigeria, the training seeks to develop a competent and certified national pool of Master Trainers who will cascade mobile-based teacher professional development programmes across the country.
It also aims to institutionalise mobile learning as a cost-effective and scalable approach to Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for teachers through the Goocus Mobile Learning Platform and Goocus Edge, particularly in rural, remote and underserved communities.
The initiative further seeks to strengthen the professional capacity and resilience of teachers and school leaders, with particular attention to women, while promoting educational continuity through mobile-optimised learning platforms and targeted training.
In a welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of FUEP, Professor Noel Wannang, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Anthonia Chukwu, welcomed participants and expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Education for selecting the University to represent the North-Central region of Nigeria.
Professor Wannang described the training as a valuable opportunity for professional development and urged participants to demonstrate seriousness and commitment, making the most of the knowledge and skills to be acquired.
He wished participants a successful and productive training.
Speaking on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Shirley Pinne conveyed the goodwill of the Honourable Minister of Education and appreciated the University Management for hosting the programme.
She encouraged participants to approach the training with dedication, open minds and a strong commitment to applying the knowledge gained to improve teaching and learning.
In her presentation, Dr Abimbola Agbola, UNESCO Focal Person for FUEP, provided an overview of UNESCO and the project, noting that Nigeria was among the countries selected to benefit from the initiative, which places particular emphasis on supporting teachers, especially women.
She explained that the project had developed a mobile-friendly learning application to expand teachers’ access to professional development opportunities, adding that establishing a pool of Master Trainers and promoting continuous professional development were among its major objectives.
Also speaking virtually, Dr Temechegn Engida, Course Developer at UNESCO-IICBA, highlighted the Institute’s mandate and outlined the key focus areas of the initiative.
These include mobile learning, Goocus Cloud, digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills, gender-responsive teaching and learner-centred approaches.
A Master Trainer, Mr Datti Emmanuel Useni, emphasised the need to strengthen teachers’ professional competencies in the application of digital tools, noting that digital skills are increasingly essential for effective lesson preparation, classroom delivery and improved learning outcomes.
The practical session was facilitated by the Director of ICT and Master Trainer, Mrs Tarini Luka Dalok, who introduced participants to the Goocus application. She demonstrated its features and functionality and explained how it could be effectively deployed to facilitate mobile-based learning and continuous professional development.
In a vote of thanks, Dr Agbola appreciated participants for their attendance and active engagement, reminding them that professional development is a continuous process that requires sustained learning and commitment.
She also acknowledged the University Management for accepting to host the programme and commended the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders for their support.
Dr Agbola further encouraged participants to complete at least five courses on the learning platform to maximise the benefits of the initiative.
The programme was attended by principal officers and other representatives of the University.
Among them were the Registrar, Mr Longtong Godwill Yadok, represented by the Senior Deputy Registrar and Council Member, Mr Aaron Musa Yatu; the Bursar, Alhaji Amale Bello, represented by the Senior Deputy Bursar and Council Member, Mr Iliya Nentawe; and the University Librarian, Dr Samson Ainoko.
