On Monday, January 25th, 2021, Prof. Chinyere Nwajiuba, the Pioneer Director, Centre of Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETEL), Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike handed over to Dr. Roland Nwakwe, who was recently appointed Acting Director for the Centre.
Outgoing Director Prof. Chinyere Nwajiuba started her speech by welcoming and congratulating the incoming and second Director on “your well-deserved appointment”. She made bold to state that by the special grace she had successfully completed her one year tenure and been able to record good success with unalloyed support from the University management and staff members across faculties. Prof. Chinyere Nwajiuba assumed duty on the 1st of September, 2019.

Dr Rowland Uwakwe receiving Handover note from Prof. Chinyere Nwajiuba
She went down memory lane to say that the center was founded on September 1, 2019 by the visionary Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba with the mandate to promote innovative and inspiring approaches to enhance teaching and learning across faculties for new and experienced staff in AE-FUNAI, stating further that the Centre aligns with AE-FUNAI strategic plan goals and priorities on teaching and learning from 2018/2019-2023/2024 to ensure that teaching and learning are at the leading edge and relevant to contemporary contexts.
Key priorities and functions of the Centre according to the outgoing Director are; foster innovative teaching and scholarly activities-based on the adaptation of excellent teaching practices across the University, provide a well-defined staff development programme to promote a professional approach to teaching and learning, maximize the potentials of the digital space by encouraging creative use of a wide variety of technologies for active learning, recognize excellent teaching, provide academic quality assurance framework, provide community services, partnerships/collaboration.

Prof. Chinyere Nwajiuba Signing the Handover note
Prof. Chinyere Nwajiuba recalled that the Directorate was inaugurated on September 26th, 2019 in conjunction with the Academic planning unit. The ceremony doubled as teaching staff orientation programme and the theme was “Why are we here: A tripod that begins with teaching. Emeritus Prof Pai Obanya from the Institute of Education, University of Ibadan, was the guest speaker. She stated that among other accomplishments, the Centre conducted “a Teaching and Learning Surgeries” (training needs analysis) from 10th January to 15th March, 2020, for faculties and department to identify areas for teaching and learning enhancement and needs.
To equip staff to embed digital technological effectively with their teaching, the directorate organized a workshop for three faculties (Basic Medical Science, Sciences, Education and Agriculture) with the “Technology Enabled Learning’ on 7th November, 2019.

Dr. Rowland Uwakwe signing.
The directorate worked in conjunction with the French Centre to organize a “Teachers’ Talk Forum” aimed at providing a stimulating environment for Franco-FUNAI staff who have completed their Masters and Ph.D Programmes in France to share their academic experiences with AE-FUNAI academic staff. The Guest speaker was Prof. Cresantus Biamba, a Professor in Education and a visiting Professor in Faculty of Education, from University of Galve, Sweden. He explored the relevance of internationalization to the curricula and perception of its influence on teaching and learning within disciplines. The essence of the special programme which took place on the 10th March, 2020 was to promote good and inspiring teaching practices from a global perspective.
Going forward according to the outgoing Director, the directorate needs to maximize the potentials of the digital age by encouraging creative use of a wide variety of technologies for active learning for all AE-FUNAI students. In the light of this, the university management would be encouraged to provide computer, mounted data projector screen and instructor’s desk/podium (multimedia cabinet) in all large lecture halls to enhance student’s engagement in the classroom, provide internet connectivity in classrooms and other learning spaces, set up a virtual learning environment platform to promote blended learning and other teaching and learning activities in response to post COVID 19 pandemic challenges in teaching and learning. The platform will be used in uploading learning materials such as lecture submissions of assessment; and establish and advanced Educational Technology Laboratory and a well-equipped microteaching laboratory for practicing teaching.
The Centre should pay more attention to provision of community services in collaboration with Ebonyi State Ministry of Education (UBEC and SEB) to prepare teachers for effective teaching practices.
To promote a more professional approach to teaching in AE-FUNAI and for future sustainability of the practices, CETEL should design and provide a well-defined staff development programme which consists of a nine-month compulsory part-time course for Assistant lecturers, Lecturer II and lecture I to Senior Lecturers in two stages with the equivalent of not more than 15credits.

Prof. Chinyere Nwajiuba and Dr.Uwakwe and other officers
The incoming Director, Dr. Rowland Uwakwe appreciated Prof. Chinyere Nwajiuba for her remarkable achievements in the Directorate within the short time, promising to keep the good work going. He thanked VC, Prof. Nwajiuba and the university management for giving him the opportunity to serve as second Director for the Centre.