The Executive Secretary of the Bayelsa State Universal Basic Education Board (Bayelsa SUBEB), Chief Victor Okubonanabo has commended the BayelsaPRIME programme for its impact on state-owned primary schools. BayelsaPRIME stands for Bayelsa Promoting Reform to Improve and Modernise Education.

Chief Okubonanabo gave the commendation during his working visit to the ten selected BayelsaPRIME schools located in the four pilot local government areas where the education reform programme has commenced: Sagbama, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Ogbia, and Yenagoa.

“I am seeing changes in the system. For the fact that we haven’t gone too far, if I can see these changes, it means we will get to a better level in the near future,” Okubonanabo said.

“With BayelsaPRIME, I think basic education will drastically improve across Bayelsa state”, he added.

BayelsaPRIME is a technology-based basic education reform programme aimed at improving learning outcomes in public primary schools across Bayelsa State.

Launched by Governor Douye Diri’s administration in early 2023, the programme has commenced fully in 222 schools with planned expansion in the coming months.

The programme commenced in earnest following a rigorous training of over 2000 teachers at the BayelsaPRIME induction training programme which was held in Yenagoa in January and February 2023.

During the training programme, teachers and their headteachers were equipped with teacher-tablets and smartphones to ensure better delivery of lessons and school management.

Schools visited during the two-day working tour include Okoro Primary School in Sampou; Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA; Model Primary School, Sagbama in Sagbama LGA, and the Universal Primary Education School, Ogbia