The National Teachers' Institute (NTI) on Thursday in Kaduna said it had spent N11.5 billion on the training of 425,000 teachers in the last four years.
The Director General of the institute, Dr Ladan Sharehu said this at a press briefing ahead of the flag-off of the Annual Nationwide Capacity Workshop for Teachers.
Sharehu said the programme, financed by the MDGs, was for the training of primary and Junior Secondary School teachers in the four co-subjects of English Language, Mathematics, Integrated Science and Social Studies.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports Sharehu as saying that N3.5 billion was spent in 2009 to train 120,000 teachers, N4 billion in 2010 to train 140,000 teachers and N2 billion used in 2011 on the training of 125, 000.
He said the current programme would involve 40,000 teachers spread across 109 centres in the country.
According to him, N1.9 billion will be spent on the procurement of training manuals, logistics and allowances for participants.
“ For this year the training of 40,000 teachers is going on in 109 centres in all the 36 states of the federation and the FCT and will cover Junior Secondary Schools (JSS).“
Sharehu said the NTI had introduced new courses on special educational needs for persons with disabilities and? HIV/AIDs awareness.
“The introduction of these components was meant to ensure all-inclusiveness in our educational system as well as to educate the Nigerian citizens through teacher training about the dangers of HIV/AIDS pandemic.
“ The Institute intends to continue to explore other areas that will assist the Nigerian teachers to discharge their duties diligently.''
The Director General assured that all unsettled training allowances for teachers in 2011 would be paid in 2013 “ as soon as the appropriation is approved''.