By Musa Solomon
The Kogi State Commissioner for Education, Hon. Wemi Jones, has urged proprietors of private schools across the state to embrace teamwork, collaboration and digital technology to improve teaching standards and learning outcomes.
Jones made the call at the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Kogi State Chapter Day Celebration in Kabba, where he stressed that effective teamwork and technology adoption were critical to building high-performing schools.
Speaking on the theme, “Building a High-Performing Team Culture in Schools Through Collaboration and Technology Integration,” the commissioner described the topic as timely, noting that the success of modern educational institutions depended on the collective efforts of proprietors, administrators, teachers, non-teaching staff, parents and students.
He said the era when schools relied solely on the efforts of individual proprietors or teachers was over, emphasising that high-performing institutions must be built on shared vision, mutual trust, effective communication and collective responsibility.
According to him, collaboration among teachers through joint lesson planning, peer lesson observation and regular mentoring would strengthen professional competence and translate into improved academic performance.
Jones, who was represented by the Director of Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Matthew Ere Salami, urged proprietors to see their staff as partners in progress rather than mere employees.
He maintained that schools that encouraged teamwork, open communication and shared responsibility were better positioned to achieve institutional growth and academic excellence.
On technology, the commissioner described digital integration as indispensable to modern education, urging private school operators to adopt digital learning platforms and school management systems to enhance administration, accountability and instructional delivery.
He identified digital classrooms, virtual staff meetings and electronic performance-tracking systems as practical tools for improving efficiency and educational outcomes.
“Technology will not replace teachers, but teachers who use technology will replace those who do not,” Jones declared, urging educators to continually upgrade their digital skills to remain relevant in a rapidly changing educational environment.
The commissioner reaffirmed the commitment of the Kogi State Ministry of Education to supporting NAPPS through capacity-building programmes in digital literacy, leadership development and school administration, in line with the Kogi State Education Law 2020.
He challenged proprietors to move beyond the discussions at the celebration and translate the lessons into practical reforms by building cohesive teams, strengthening communication and deploying technology to improve teaching and learning.
Jones also commended private school owners for their contributions to educational development in Kogi State, noting their role in expanding access to education and complementing government efforts.
He called for sustained collaboration between the government and private education providers to advance the state’s educational objectives.
Earlier, the NAPPS State Chairman, Pastor Ruben Jimoh, commended members for their unity, cooperation and commitment, which he said had strengthened the association and promoted the interests of private education in the state.
Jimoh urged members to sustain the spirit of unity and ensure that the association spoke with one voice in protecting proprietors’ interests, promoting quality education and maintaining constructive relationships with government and other education stakeholders.
He also called on private school proprietors across the state to become active members of the association by attending meetings, participating in NAPPS programmes and paying their levies and dues promptly.
On school safety, the chairman urged proprietors to strengthen security arrangements in their institutions through the deployment of appropriate security personnel and effective access-control measures.
The celebration brought together stakeholders in the private education sector to examine strategies for strengthening school leadership, promoting collaboration and harnessing digital technology to improve educational delivery across Kogi State.
