By Paul Efiong
The Deputy Director Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) Abubakar Dantsoho has expressed the readiness of UBEB to approve and support any programme that would improve the quality of teachers in FCT.
Delivering a key note address during an induction ceremony for teachers who participated in a training organized by the Education Development Academy (EDA) in Abuja, Abubakar identified professionalism among teachers as the key for providing quality basic education in the country.
“Industrialized nations pay teachers high. There only the best go for teaching; only the best go to the class. Stakeholders in Nigeria should emulate advance nations.
“Teachers provide professionals. Teachers are key in all spheres of life. Teachers should play their role very well. You hold the key sector that determines the best in the society.
Abubakar noted that is designed schools are to prepare the child for a successful life and said that when teachers flog the child with cane they are not doing their job very well because teachers are there to inspire the child.
He told the teachers that “children believe them more than they believe their parents. You must know what to teach, how to teach, and who to teach as well as the psychology of the child. You have a lot to do in character development. Don’t just receive certificates as trained teachers, you must demonstrate it,” he said.
In her goodwill message at the event, Bar. Juliet Ukoha of Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) urged teachers to shun quackery, report quacks to TRCN and register with Teachers Registration Council so that they will be protected from unfair labour practices in schools. She disclosed plans by TRCN to go to round the schools from January 2018, identify quacks and throw them away.
In her own remarks at the event, Teacher Adebisi Tokunbo who is the Director Quality Assurance EDA charged teachers to be passionate in their job despite the environment. “Let us do our best regardless of motivation. We will receive our rewards here on earth and in Heaven.
She urged them to work hard to regain respect teachers commanded in the past. Teacher’s development is very important. I cannot spend six months without undergoing training. Don’t wait for the government; develop yourself because things are changing.
The Registrar of EDA Teacher Bassey Uwem urged teachers to embrace training and retraining to avoid the Kaduna experience where teachers were alleged to have failed examination meant for pupils.
He disclosed that EDA programmes for teachers, which is a private sector intervention on education covers the 36 states of the country and FCT with the exception of the North Eastern part of the country. He commended EDA Chairman Prince Felix Tsyoboh for supporting the cause of teachers in the country through capacity
improvement.