Teachers and the education conundrum
Recently, the Kaduna state governor Malam Nasiru El-Rufa’i conducted a competency test for the primary school teachers in the state. Surprisingly, a huge number of them failed the test. Apparently, not everyone who teaches in school possesses the basic knowledge and methodology of imparting knowledge to students. Back in the days, we had Grade I, […]
Recently, the Kaduna state governor Malam Nasiru El-Rufa’i conducted a competency test for the primary school teachers in the state. Surprisingly, a huge number of them failed the test.
Apparently, not everyone who teaches in school possesses the basic knowledge and methodology of imparting knowledge to students. Back in the days, we had Grade I, II, III, teachers who were trained to passionately teach students effortlessly. Today the revise is the case. We now have teachers who don’t only lack the basic knowledge and methodology to teach, but teaches because its second choice option.
But you can’t completely blame these teachers, some of the conditions in which these teachers teach are totally disheartening. I spoke with a friend who is a secondary school teacher and his argument is that teachers are not treated well. While some Nigerian schools are still using blackboards and chalks in this century, many countries have even gone beyond the use of whiteboard to interactive classroom system, coupled with teaching aid. While teachers in many countries are well remunerated, teachers in Nigeria are not only underpaid, many are being owed salaries for several months.
Accusing fingers have been pointed at agencies such as the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), National Universities Commission (NUC), and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) who are saddle with the responsibilities of registration of teachers and regulating their training.
What happens to the days when parents review their children books, asked questions and monitor their assignments at home? The reverse is the case today, only few parents monitor their children academic activities. Some of the parents don’t even care, all the want to see is end of session report card whether it’s genuine or not. Parents as major stakeholders in bettering the standard of education in the country must ensure adequate monitoring of their children academic activities meticulously.
All hands must be on deck, government, regulating agencies, parents, guardians, and more importantly, teachers must ensure that quality and standard knowledge as well as morals is instill in the students, quality academic equipment’s such as white marker board, computers, public address systems among others are provided to schools in other to create conducive teaching and learning environment.
Teachers should be well screened and trained by appropriate agencies before giving teaching job in any school level. We need to retool teachers better in a fast-evolving ICT world to enable them take full advantage of ICT to deliver the curriculum. Also Parents Teachers Association (PTA) meeting should be held at least twice a month as it will not only cement the bond between the parents and the teachers, but will also provide both parties to devise ways of bettering the quality and standard of the education sector in the country.
Ahmed Yunusa Kailani, Abuja.