The teaching profession which had from time laid the foundation for the growth of other
professions to excel is in chains and would remain unsung in Nigeria unless
government at all levels get cracking and implement policies designed to
improve the condition of service of teachers.
A University
Professor of Educational leadership, who made this
observation in a paper, also pointed out that for the teachers to
fight for their rights like other pressure groups they must come under one formidable union without nursing any discriminating tendencies against one another.
The university don, professor Salihu, Yusufu,
Ingawa of the university of Abuja had in the paper titled “Teaching; The Unsung
Profession”, which he presented during the institution’s 14th inauguration lecture series stated that
teaching today is a specialized field and no longer an all comer affairs as it were.
He however
pointed out that most
persons in the society were still
nursing that perception that those found in the teaching profession were the “not do wells” who failed to get better jobs in other sectors, He submitted that
teaching was no longer
a mere job in this
modern times as it is
only persons with proper vision, experiences and backed with an education degree can conveniently enter the
teaching profession
He then stated “General education, specialized studies and professional studies are essential in the training of competent teachers” as well.
While throwing more light on this, Professor Salihu stressed
that the in thing now is for would be teachers to possess the requisites before
entry.
Teacher’s certification, he explained, has come to stay because it is a means of protecting children from unqualified teachers and even qualified teachers from the
competition of untrained teachers, also known as gatecrashers.
The lecturer added that certification in teaching is one of
the best thing
happening to the profession because it has helped in developing teaching into specialized service which can
only be provided by qualified persons.
He also pointed out that there were still a lot to be done both by government and the teachers themselves to ensure that the teaching
profession is attractive to would be entrants and at the same time, occupying pride of place in the society.
The professor noted that the teaching profession has not graduated beyond where it is today in the country
because there is no Teacher Education
Council to regulate
its activities and ensure that goodies meant to enhance the condition of service of teachers is logically implemented. He disclosed that there were several teachers’ education policies initiated by government to improve teachers’ welfare which like promises written on a running stream had failed to see the light of the day due to the
absence of this council that would have done great jobs on behalf of the
practitioners.
He went further advising the teachers to come together to speak with one voice so as to be
relevant. This he said is achievable, if all categories of teachers and
educational administrators
from the basic to
tertiary education level would collapse their
groups into one strong federating union just as professions as law, medicine, engineering, Accounting and the likes were doing.
His words “This may be known as the Union of Nigerian Teachers. If and when this happens, the teachers
union will be strong
and formidable in terms of numbers”
This powerbase
would then give the teachers the numerical strength and power to raise their status and power for negotiation and
political power game in labor matters in the country, he added.
The professor however advised that for this to come to reality, all other
teacher unions in the
universities, polytechnics, college of education and secondary and primary
schools should ether melt into the proposed union or become direct affiliates.
Before rounding
up, the lecturer Professor
Salihu had commended the Federal Government of Nigeria for putting in
place a teacher education policy to add value to teacher’s welfare.
This policy document, he said, contained many incentives towards teacher’s professional development in the
country but has not taken off because
of the absence of the
teacher education council which is supposed to have the legal teeth to implement or enforce the
policy. He had while
still emphasizing on the need for the establishment of a teacher education
council called on teachers to be up and doing in their respective places of work, as any ideal teacher
had to set himself or herself as a role model before his students and upcoming
teachers.
In his comment
at the occasion professor Adikwu, the Vice
Chancellor of the
university had also used the forum to appeal to parents to send their children to read education courses.
His words “in
fact this idea of I
want my child to be an Engineer, a medical doctor and other things
should not exist. There should not be any disparity
between courses. Students should
go ahead and read
particularly education to shore up the level of education in this country”.