Ukah Underscores Importance Of Junior, Senior Secondary Books Review

By Magnus Emuji
Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Patrick Ukah, has identified effective and quality review of recommended books as critical strategy designed to evaluate their contents’ conformity with the scheme of work as well as curricular development for the benefits of the students.

Mr. Ukah stated this at Osadenis Mixed Secondary School, Asaba, during the Junior and Senior Secondary Books Review ceremony, stressing that the essence of the initiative was to get quality books approved for use in the school system.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Comrade Samuel Diateke, he said that as end users of the recommended textbooks, the selected teachers for the review should be well equipped with the required tips for them to deliver effectively on their assignment.

The Basic and Secondary Education Commissioner stated that junior and senior secondary school books review was highly sensitive as a result of the fact that it would form part of the preparation of the students for tertiary education, adding that relevance to modern curriculum should be applied to books review activities and selection.
In his welcome address, the Director of Education Resource Centre (ERC), Mr. Paul Okpala, urged selected reviewers to put in their best so as to justify the confidence reposed in them as much was expected from them as teachers for the overall good of the students and advised them to desist from any contact with the publishers and authors of the recommended textbooks in order to avoid unnecessary sentiments in carrying out the assignment.

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The ERC Director said that the review of textbooks was in tandem with the National Book Policy stipulating that only screened books that reflected the National Curriculum and rich in content in the appropriate subject matter should be recommended for use in schools.

On his part, the book reviewer, Mr. Peter Makpamekuu, stressed the need for the reviewers to be thorough in their assignment, especially in the area of contents review, saying that authors and publishers of books should always ensure that their works were updated in line with modem trends just as he stated that they should develop themselves at all times.