1. EDUCATION REFORM IN KWARA STATE IMPROVING TEACHERS PEDAGOGICAL SKILLS AT BASIC AND SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS THROUGH SCHOOL CLUSTER MENTORING

2. BRIEF ON THE STATE: KWARA STATE was carved out of the former Northern Region as a political entity in 1967. KWARA STATE was carved out of the former Northern Region as a political entity in 1967. The boundary adjustments of 1976 and 1991 however has recapped the land mass to 36,825 sq.kilometers with just 16 LGAs. The boundary adjustments of 1976 and 1991 however has recapped the land mass to 36,825 sq.kilometers with just 16 LGAs. The population is about 2.3million. The population is about 2.3million. There are 1,351 public primary,324 Junior and 236 senior secondary schools with 3 State-owned Colleges of Education and one Federal University as major teacher suppliers. There are 1,351 public primary,324 Junior and 236 senior secondary schools with 3 State-owned Colleges of Education and one Federal University as major teacher suppliers. There are about 17,800 Primary/ Junior school and 7,000 Senior secondary school teachers with about 86% having a minimum teaching qualification of NCE. There are about 17,800 Primary/ Junior school and 7,000 Senior secondary school teachers with about 86% having a minimum teaching qualification of NCE.

3. Brief on the State cont. The SUBEB supervises the Basic schools teachers while the TSC supervises the Senior secondary schools teachers. The SUBEB supervises the Basic schools teachers while the TSC supervises the Senior secondary schools teachers. The most populous part of the state is the area around the state capital,Ilorin. The most populous part of the state is the area around the state capital,Ilorin. Education is the major industry and the need to provide quality education for job creation brings about the re-vitalization programme of the sector since year 2003. Education is the major industry and the need to provide quality education for job creation brings about the re-vitalization programme of the sector since year 2003.

4. PROBLEM IDENTIFIED AND WHY: The problem is that of production of half-baked school graduates who are not suitable for the labour market because: Little knowledge is acquired from the schools due to Little knowledge is acquired from the schools due to Poor quality teaching by the teachers because of Poor quality teaching by the teachers because of The faulty pre-service training received from the CoEs who are over populated with inadequate facility and poor teacher: student ratio of 1:75 as against the minimum standard of 1:25 therefore there is The faulty pre-service training received from the CoEs who are over populated with inadequate facility and poor teacher: student ratio of 1:75 as against the minimum standard of 1:25 therefore there is Poor level of communication skill acquired by the teachers during training. Poor level of communication skill acquired by the teachers during training. The academic programme of the training colleges are not in line with the reality in the classroom. The academic programme of the training colleges are not in line with the reality in the classroom. There is also absence of mentoring of teachers because this is alien to the system. There is also absence of mentoring of teachers because this is alien to the system.

5. Problem identified and why cont. There is low level of Community participation in the running and supervision of schools because of lack of awareness. There is low level of Community participation in the running and supervision of schools because of lack of awareness. There is poor teacher recruitment and distribution strategy as needs are not considered due to inconsistency in policy statement. There is poor teacher recruitment and distribution strategy as needs are not considered due to inconsistency in policy statement. The teacher morale is low due to poor or no incentive e.g. lopsidedness in the payment of the rural teacher allowance; the science teacher allowance of N25.00 not reviewed for over 3 decades; absence of allowance for the language teachers etc. The teacher morale is low due to poor or no incentive e.g. lopsidedness in the payment of the rural teacher allowance; the science teacher allowance of N25.00 not reviewed for over 3 decades; absence of allowance for the language teachers etc. Lack of on-the-job training for teachers as given to the officers of the Ministry, SUBEB and TSC. Lack of on-the-job training for teachers as given to the officers of the Ministry, SUBEB and TSC.

6. Problem identified and why cont. There is no baseline data for planning purpose due to lack of functional EMIS. There is no baseline data for planning purpose due to lack of functional EMIS. There is poor performance assessment instrument as evident by the outdated instrument. There is poor performance assessment instrument as evident by the outdated instrument. There is a lot of irregularity in school attendance by both teachers and students. In rural areas for example, teachers rotate the days of the week for attendance and students on market days may not even attend. There is a lot of irregularity in school attendance by both teachers and students. In rural areas for example, teachers rotate the days of the week for attendance and students on market days may not even attend.

7. PLANNED IMPACT AND POSSIBLE RISKS: 225 Basic and 40 Senior school clusters established. 225 Basic and 40 Senior school clusters established. 1,225 Basic and 280 Senior school teachers trained for the cluster trainings and meetings to build the capacity of others. 1,225 Basic and 280 Senior school teachers trained for the cluster trainings and meetings to build the capacity of others. 75 and 20 mentors engaged for Basic and Senior schs. 75 and 20 mentors engaged for Basic and Senior schs. A new brand of CoE. A new brand of CoE. Possible Risks include: Possible Risks include: Availability and Sustainable funding. Availability and Sustainable funding. Consistent political will Consistent political will Distribution of teachers for family stability Distribution of teachers for family stability Natural Resistance to any form of reform Natural Resistance to any form of reform Acceptance and accountability Acceptance and accountability

8. IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE: Carry out baseline study to identify area of emphasis. Carry out baseline study to identify area of emphasis. Cluster schools into 6 schools per cluster. Cluster schools into 6 schools per cluster. Identify the needs of the CoEs and increase funding accordingly. Identify the needs of the CoEs and increase funding accordingly. Re-organization of academic programme of the CoEs Re-organization of academic programme of the CoEs Identify 5 teachers from each cluster for ToT by the Colleges of Education. Identify 5 teachers from each cluster for ToT by the Colleges of Education. Training and meetings at cluster level by the ToT teachers. Training and meetings at cluster level by the ToT teachers. Appointment and briefing by the Ministry of the Mentors. Appointment and briefing by the Ministry of the Mentors. Increasing existing allowances and introduce rural Increasing existing allowances and introduce rural

9. Implementation Schedule cont. and language teacher allowances and language teacher allowances Government shall empower teachers through the purchase of shares in blue chip companies. Government shall empower teachers through the purchase of shares in blue chip companies. Upgrading the existing Teacher Assessment Instrument to include the Mentors assessment of the teacher. Upgrading the existing Teacher Assessment Instrument to include the Mentors assessment of the teacher. Monitoring of the reform programme by the reformed Inspectorate Service. Monitoring of the reform programme by the reformed Inspectorate Service.

10. COST: The sources of funding shall be: Yearly Budgetary Allocation about 25% of the years capital allocation shall be dedicated to this reform at the first instance. Yearly Budgetary Allocation about 25% of the years capital allocation shall be dedicated to this reform at the first instance. Donor Agencies using our ESP/ESOP to attract the agencies. Donor Agencies using our ESP/ESOP to attract the agencies. The use of NGOs in the area of mentoring. The use of NGOs in the area of mentoring. Areas to attract funding: Increase in subvention to the CoEs Increase in subvention to the CoEs Payment for re-training programme Payment for re-training programme Supply of training materials Supply of training materials Logistics for Cluster training and meetings Logistics for Cluster training and meetings Payments to Mentors Payments to Mentors Logistics for inspections and monitoring Logistics for inspections and monitoring

11. MONITORING AND EVALUATION: Tracking of School leavers for the period of 4 years to increase transition to the University/Polytechnic from the present 25% to 40% Tracking of School leavers for the period of 4 years to increase transition to the University/Polytechnic from the present 25% to 40% Sources of information: Kwara ESP/ESOP;KWASEEDS;Reports on ESA;Social Analysis; PER.