BY PHILIP EKE, YENAGOA
The chairperson, Bayelsa state Teachers Training and Certification Board, Dr. Stella Peremoboere Ugolo stated that  the essence of establishing the board is to ensure teachers training registration andcertification for professional development.
Dr Ugolo said this shortly after the screening of the board members by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in Yenagoa the Bayelsa state capital.
Ugolo said, “the program will be compulsory for both serving and newly employed teachers in the state.
“What we want to achieve even though our teachers are very intelligent is to be abreast with the new teaching skills that are coming up as learning is a continuous  thing, so we want to update our teachers.
“There are some of our teachers that have not been efficient in their capacity, through this training, we will be able to face teachers development because it’s only when the teacher is properly taught that they will also teach the curriculum every well.
“When efficiency is brought out of our teachers, the students will also be able to learn very well and come out efficiently with improved performance in our schools.” Ugolo emphasized.
Earlier at the floor of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, the speaker, Mr. Konbowei Benson urged members of the board, to carry out the mandate of the board in line with the philosophy of the restoration government.
While fielding questions from the assembly members, the board members said the most challenging problems amongt teachers in the state are lack of training and retraining. It will be recalled that in 2012, there was a training program organised by Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) but this training is expected to be a continuous exercise.
Teachers not been in their stations, is one of the major problemsand there is the need to visit a proposal, submitted some time ago, suggesting that those who refused to go and teach should be suspended without pay, and based on that the teachers will have no choice but to seat up.
The nominees frowned at deploying those civil servants that are idle in ministries into teaching noting that deployment may not solve the problems as it is not a moral booster.
According to them, the number of persons doing an administrative work in public schools are too much and should be discouraged because when that is done more teachers will be added just as it is in some states of the federation, where even principals and head teachers handle one or two subjects.
Nominees also suggested that there should be proper monitoring and supervision for effective outcome of the training and retraining of these teachers so that the program will not be a jamboree.
Recently, Dr Ugolo who was swore in by the Executive Governor of
Bayelsa state, Hon Seriake Dickson.
The Governor congratulated her and charged her to improve the education sector through training and re-training of teachers in upholding quality standard.
The reception which took place at Ebi’s motel was witnessed by political class, the academia, family members, friends and well wishers, was is who in Bayelsa state and in Nigeria. Notably, in attendance were Hon (Dr.) Peter Akpe, the majority leader Bayelsa state House of Assembly, permanent secretary ministry of Education Mr. Odubo Felix, Hon Fineman Wilson, SA to Governor Dickson on Political Matters, women groups among others.
Several solidarity speeches were made in congratulating the distinguished educationalist, stressing that she deserved the appointment. Perhaps of her resolute administrative acumen, describing
her as intellectual academic giant.
Dr. Ugolo, in her response at the epoch making event thanked the Bayelsa State governor for finding her worthy to serve, while pledging to serve whole heartedly. She thanked various groups who came from far and near to witnessed the great reception.
