STUDENTS SHOWCASE TALENTS AT LAGOS FESTIVAL

L-R: Mrs Toun Olaogun, Director, Basic Education Services, Mrs Erogbogbo, Miss Wendy Kasumu, Best of the Best Child Model of the World, 2010 during a courtesy call to the state government

The out-pouring of creative ingenuity and the display of talents could best describe the activities at the Lagos State Festival of Instructional Materials (LASFIM), held at the State Secretariat, Alausa, Lagos recently.

Various stands were set up by schools where they exhibited indigenous instructional materials, which are used to make teaching and learning very effective.

Such materials include hand made blood circulatory system, battery chargers, natural batteries, aquarium and others, with theme 'The use of relevant instructional materials as tools for improved performance in our educational development.'

The two-day festival was organised by the State Educational Resource Centre, for students and teachers in public schools in the state.

Private companies and other stakeholders in education also participated in the event. Its major objective, as revealed by the organizers, was to drive home the hard fact that instructional materials play a vital role in educational development and capacity building of teachers and students.

Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Sarah Adebisi Sosan, in her remarks, said it was mandatory for students and teachers to be innovative and for them to create high quality instructional materials that are relevant to learning in the Nigerian environment. According to her, this will save the cost of buying the expensive materials at the market.

Sosan also stressed that using appropriate materials in schools will greatly improve educational standard. She added 'The government of Lagos State has continued to invest heavily in the provision of infrastructure and equipment as well as capacity building of teachers for improved performance. Only recently, the government embarked upon and completed a one-storey building equipped with ultra modern technology to keep teachers abreast of latest technology in the development of instructional materials.' With this center Sosan said, teachers would be able to produce materials that can be used in teaching.

Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of education, Mrs. Omolara Erogbogbo, said the festival was timely, adding that teachers and students need not complain about the shortage of educational media that abound in the Nigerian surroundings.

She called on teachers to take advantage of the opportunity to update their knowledge and use instructional materials to drive home their points in the classroom.

The festival also featured the presentation of drama by the members of the Lagos State Educational Resource Centre, on the indispensability of instructional materials in the 21st century method of teaching and learning. It also saw the presentation of certificate of participation and awards to various schools.