The Benue State Universal Basic Education Board has started translating science textbooks into Tiv dialect for easy learning and sustenance of indigenous languages.

The Executive Chairman of the board, Philip Tachin, made this known on Wednesday while declaring open a two-week teacher professional development workshop.

The workshop had the theme: “Strengthening Mathematics and Science Education (SMASE)’’.

Mr. Tachin said the board was also exploring ways to translate the textbooks into Idoma and Igede dialects.

He said the aim was also to encourage more students in the state to read science courses.

Mr. Tachin said the workshop was in line with the state government’s education programmes.

The chairman urged the participants to take advantage of the workshop to develop themselves.

He expressed gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Education, National Teachers Institute and the Universal Basic Education Commission for making the workshop possible.

The representative of the ministry, Salisu Muhammad, said that 200 teachers would participate in the workshop while 1,000 others would take part at the zonal level.

He commended Mr. Tachin for the translation initiative.

The representative of National Teachers Institute, Abubakar Ibrahim, also hailed the translation initiative.

He called on teachers to place premium on the knowledge impartation.

A mathematics teacher, Bartholomew Atsar, and a elementary science teacher, Victoria Agbatse, promised to apply the knowledge they would acquire.

They expressed gratitude to the relevant authorities for the training.

(NAN)