By Sunday John
Rep. Jeremiah Umaru (APC, Akwanga/Nassarawa-Eggon/Wamba Federal Constituency) has trained more than 100 primary and secondary school teachers across the 35 electoral wards of his constituency to enhance their capacity for effective service delivery.
Speaking during the event on Wednesday in Akwanga Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Umaru said the training was part of his blueprint to invest in and promote the education sector.
He explained that the capacity-building program focused on improving school administration and integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into teaching and learning to make educators more efficient and globally competitive.
The lawmaker pledged to sustain the initiative and extend it to all teachers in his constituency in line with international best practices.
Participants received training through papers and presentations on topics such as “The Role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Teacher Education,” “Effective School Leadership and Management,” “Financial Management in School Administration,” and “Drug Abuse and the Poor Performance of Students.”
In a related development, Umaru also presented more than ₦10 million in cash prizes to winners of the second edition of his constituency-wide secondary school debate competition.
Expressing satisfaction with the students’ performance, he commended their confidence, composure, and logical presentation of arguments. He also appreciated teachers for their dedication to mentoring and nurturing young minds.
“The debate aims to build networks among students and expose them to global standards in public speaking and academic competition,” Umaru said. “The connections and confidence they gain here will help shape their future aspirations.”
He added that the platform encourages peer review between public and private school students, noting that such competitions help strengthen intellectual and communication skills.
Umaru reaffirmed his commitment to initiating more developmental programs across sectors to empower his constituents and justify their support at the polls.
At the grand finale, Shepherd International College, Akwanga, emerged as the overall winner, while Government Science Secondary School, Wamba, and Our Lady of Fatima College, Ogba, Nassarawa-Eggon, came second and third, respectively.
The winning school received a ₦1 million cash prize and five laptops, the first runner-up got ₦700,000 and three laptops, while the second runner-up received ₦500,000 and two laptops.
Individual awards included ₦500,000 and a laptop for the best speaker, ₦250,000 and a laptop for the second-best speaker, and ₦150,000 and a laptop for the third-best speaker. Each of the remaining 32 participating schools received ₦200,000 and educational materials.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the debate competition, which began in August, brought together students from both public and private schools across the constituency.
