Who wants to be a teacher?

Thus, the pride of being a teacher needs no emphasis. Indeed, the teacher functions as the secondary source of both human and physical development after the family. Interestingly, the teacher breaks down all the notorious barriers to intellectual growth. While displaying the power of instructions, the committed teacher modifies the human brains, designs unquestionable character […]

Thus, the pride of being a teacher needs no emphasis. Indeed, the teacher functions as the secondary source of both human and physical development after the family. Interestingly, the teacher breaks down all the notorious barriers to intellectual growth. While displaying the power of instructions, the committed teacher modifies the human brains, designs unquestionable character and facilitates the evolution of a brighter future for both the individual and the society. It is on record that the teacher attacks the chronic disease of illiteracy. Without the teacher’s artistic and scientific strength, the human mind, intellect and will could have been at the mercy of the artillery of darkness.  The undisputable fact remains that the potentialities of the individual are physical, mental and spiritual. To this end, the caring teacher is incredibly concerned with the cultivation of the whole person.
In other words, what makes a man to live and function in the society is the primary concern of the teacher.  The ever transformation world of the teacher is loaded  with positive thoughts and ideas, absolute reality, wide range creativity and broad based imagination. To make life worth living, the relentless teacher discovers values. Also characteristic of the teacher’s domain is the systematic and careful construction of knowledge which bears resemblance to what John Dewey calls “reconstruction of experience” which sharpens the power of insight and foresight and equips the mind with greater reflexive capacity for verification, justification and analysis. Like a messiah, the teacher is for life and for the living.
Having touched and influenced many aspects of our being, the progressive teacher has impressively moved the world. Come to think of it, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, etc. all lived in accordance with the display of a sound character. Those blessed teachers who moulded their character were reminded by Herbert Spencer that “education has as its primary objective the formation of character”    Whatever the case may be, never shall we forget those responsible teachers who cracked the brains of Professors Chinua  Achebe, Ayodele Awojobi, Jubril Aminu, Iya Abubakar,  Grace Alele Williams and a host of others.  In their frantic efforts to lead a flamboyant life, many Nigerians aspire to be bankers, lawyers, medical practitioners, engineers, accountants and what have you. Their rosy dream will crash if the teacher is unsympathetic. It is beyond reasonable doubt that the teacher’s productive mind leaves no stone unturned in the construction of a healthy nation. The question then is what has been the state of the Nigerian teacher? The story is gloomy, horrifying and disheartening. The Nigerian teacher has been in a perpetual
agony for three decades. His or her noble class is the most rejected, despised, frustrated. It is a tragedy that the teacher’s social image has been bastardised. The economic well being of the teacher has been broken down. The reality is that the Nigerian teacher has never been a looter. Indeed, the trouble with the Nigerian teachers is that their social right for a decent living has vehemently been opposed.  

 Abdu Abdullahi, Government Unity Secondary School, Ringim, Jigawa State