Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has called for enhanced capacity training for teachers as a way of rebuilding the country’s educational system.
The registrar also called on the Federal Government to create a more conducive environment to enable teachers practice their profession.
Ajiboye made the call in Abuja on Thursday at the Teachers’ Day Symposium to commemorate the 2017 World Teachers Day.
The theme for this year’s celebration is tagged: ‘’Teaching in Freedom: Empowering Teachers for the
He said a survey conducted in 2010 revealed that there were 207,818 unqualified teachers in the primary schools in the country.
‘’The North-East zone had the highest figure of 57.7 per cent. Undoubtedly, the situation degenerated with invasion of the insurgents.
“The North-West had 46.8 per cent; North-Central 38 per cent; South-South 19.2 per cent; South-East 16.7 per cent and South-West 6.7 per cent.
‘’An experiment in some states in 2014 also revealed that 1,300 out of 1,599 state teachers failed arithmetic and basic literacy tests by scoring below 25 per cent.’’
“The quality and quantity of teachers demand a strong policy response.
“Rebuilding the system should take into account how the once cherished vocation, the mother of all professions should attract the best brains and retain them.
He also called for adequate motivation for teachers as well as a well paid salary, adding that most states owed their teachers between six to nine months salaries.
In his remark, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Sunday Echono, noted that many teachers had worked hard to bring out the best in their students.
He described the job of teachers as that of ”a good gardener who sows the seeds of moral ethics within the students so that they could become good citizens.”
“There is no doubt that the present status of teachers is deplorable and needed to be addressed.
‘’However, under the ministry’s strategic plan, priority shall be given to the content of curriculum, instruction, practices and procedures that create safe and supportive teaching and learning environment,’’ he said
He expressed optimism that the plan, when materialised, would motivate teachers to deliver services effectively.
Echono added that the ministry would train teachers and provide them with necessary tools to bridge the digital drive in a rapidly changing world, driven by innovations, ICTs and globalisation.
Earlier, the Director, Education Support Services Department of the ministry, Mrs Justina Ibe, said teachers were indispensable for the human capital development efforts of any nation.
‘Teachers are the ones charged with the responsibility of transmitting organised learning experiences to learners.
“Regrettably, this group of professionals are always challenged with balancing the needs of the school, community and government with their personal goals and needs.
“ Teachers are often amongst the least motivated on their job and recognised in the society.
‘’There have been adjustments in the way we communicate, relate, learn and teach, these demand that Nigerian teachers should continuously make necessary adjustment in order for them to be relevant,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that World Teachers’ Day came into being on Oct. 5 since 1994 and since then, has been an annual event.
It was initiated by UNESCO as a proclamation to celebrate the great step made for teachers on Oct. 5, 1966 at a special intergovernmental conference in Paris, France.