The Registrar/Chief Executive, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, (TRCN), Prof. Josiah Olusegun Ajiboye, has said that only technologically compliant teachers can compete globally.
To this end, he urged charged teachers in Nigeria to equip themselves technologically so as to be able to stand at par with other teachers globally.
He said it has become an offence to teach in Nigeria without been registered by TRCN as a professional teacher.
His words, “induction is one of the critical elements that adorn a profession and make it clear that teaching is no longer an all-comers affair. In Nigeria today, it is not only an absurdity but an offence for any individual to teach, without being registered by TRCN.”
Speaking at the 2nd induction ceremony organized for Bachelor Degree in Education graduands of the University of Abuja recently, the TRCN scribe said, any teacher who wants to get to the peak of the profession must be technologically developed; allaying the fear that technology would replace teachers.
His words, “Technology would not replace teachers but teachers who are technologically inclined would replace teachers who are technologically deficient.”
He said Nigerian teachers must be able to access the world through their telephones and must be able to catch up with the ongoing technological development across the world.
This, he said, was the way to get exceptional teachers who are world class professionals.
Ajiboye however, commended the Federal Government for keeping the faith with the Nigerian teachers through its unalloyed support for the ongoing professionalization of teaching in the country.
The TRCN Boss said the induction protocol was a demonstration of zeal and commitment aimed at improving the teaching and learning process in teacher training institutions.
He therefore called on young and other fresh education graduates across the country to key into the induction protocol which he described as international best practice and benchmark.”
His words, “all inductees are accepted into the teaching profession without the rigours of undergoing all the cycles of Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE).
“Any teacher education graduate, who failed to make good use of this grace period, would write the full circle of PQE in addition to other rigours before their registration as professional teachers is validated.”
Ajiboye further stressed that TRCN, under his watch, would be selfless in its drive towards expanding access to teacher education. TRCN, according to him, has developed programs of study such as Professional Diploma in Education (PDE), and Post-Doctoral Diploma in Education (PDDE).
The PDE and the PDDE as mentioned above were in addition to the Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) for which TRCN has also developed a National Benchmark, he said.
According to him, “TRCN has also developed the Teacher Professional Development Assessment Framework (TDPAF), (Awaiting Public Presentation). The document would help the individual teacher in self-assessment and also put their employers in a vantage position to determine the suitability and capability of their teachers per time.
He therefore called on teachers who do not have education qualification to avail themselves of the opportunity provided by these programs.
Earlier in the day, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Michael U. Adikwu, who welcomed the TRCN team to the University, described what is happening in the teaching profession across the country as pathetic and unacceptable.
According to him, “The situation is so bad such that we can no longer boast of our teachers today. The lifespan of knowledge these days is about 2 to 3 years and this is not good for our education system.”
Professor Adikwu emphasized that Nigerian Education system is presently very disadvantaged and that is the single reason why all hands must be on deck to restore the sector.
He however, encouraged the TRCN to ensure that the quality of teachers to be registered; licensed and certified meet international standards. This, he said would go a long way in helping the council to achieve its mandates.
Also, speaking at the occasion, the Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Abuja, Prof. A. M. Maisamari, the teacher is in a unique position to have a direct impact on his/her students.
He said a teacher should love educating students, and one of the principal goals was to be the best teacher he or she can be.
“There is something extremely gratifying about imparting knowledge to students and working with them to ensure they understand not only concepts, but practical applications as well.
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