The Nation Newspaper

Tag: teachers

  • Sokoto teachers to take proficiency test

    SOKOTO State schools’ teachers  will be subjected to proficiency test, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has said.

    The performance in  the test would be used to measure their professional competence to deliver quality service and promote standard to education in the state.

    Tambuwal made this known at a meeting with the Chairman of the state Committee on Emergency in Education, Prof Risqua Shehu.

    The committee is expected to present a report to the government on the needs assessment of schools whicch was conducted last November.

    In a statement, the governor’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, said the tests were aimed at ensuring that the teachers meet the required standards, while their postings match their qualifications.

    “The tests will also improve our data base on the number of teachers in public service which will in turn be used to harmonise records available with different agencies and departments of government,” the statement reads in part.

    For those that fail, the statement said they would be redeployed.

    “However, this does not mean that those who may fall below the required standard after the tests will be sacked. Alternatively, we will redeploy them to other sectors befitting of their qualifications and expertise. The government will continue to benefit from their services as to the terms of their employments,” the statement quoted the governor as saying.

    Tambuwal vowed that his administration would leave do everything to uplift the standard of the education sector in the state.

    He also said his administration was fully committed to funding the sector adequate at all levels.

    “That is why even in 2017, education retained the highest allocation in our budget. Our thinking is that no amount of money allocated to the education sector is too much and we will not waver in this direction,” he added.

     

  • Ondo to reward teachers

    The Ondo State government is to reward outstanding teachers and students.

    Commissioner for Information Kayode Akinmade said the Academic Excellence Award ceremony will hold on January 18 at the International Event Centre, The Dome, Akure.

    The government will inaugurate tomorrow the St James Caring Heart Mega School in Iro, Akure.

    On Thursday, the Owena Neighbourhood Market Ondo Road will be inaugurated.

    On January 16, it will be the turn of the Ore and Irele Mega Schools for inauguration.

    The Public Service Training School and Semi Mechanised Abattoir will be inaugurated on January 17 and 26.

  • Teachers, parents challenged on developing upright society

    Teachers, students and parents have a role to play in the development of sound and morally upright society, a former Executive Secretary, Ojo Local Government Area, Mr Sikiru Adewale Lawal has said.

    Speaking on the 10th anniversary of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Secondary School, Akoka, Lagos, Lawal said teachers, more than parents have a bigger role to play in developing the right leadership character traits in students.

    Lawal, who was represented by Mr Olanrewaju Durojaiye, charged the pupils to be conscious of who they associate with as they grow older.

    He urged them to shun vices, such as cultism, thuggery, hooliganism, and prostitution, if they desire to be the best in life.

    As for parents, he urged them to spend more time with their children.

    “Parents need to spend more time, and not more money, on their children. Spend quality time with them, make them your friend; give them listen ears; don’t allow them to seek answers to questions burning in their heart from friends or neighbours,” he said.

    The Board of Governors of the school Secretary, Mrs Hellen Amata, said within 10 years the school has grown to become a home for young and upcoming leaders who are doing well socially and academically.

    She praised the teachers for their commitment to excellence, adding that the school has consitently posted impressive results since 2012.

    Acting Principal, Mr Mattew Ishola, praised the parents for their support and confidence in the capacity of the school to give their children in rounded development.

    He said the school has continued to record 100 per cent credit in the Senior School Certificate Examinations since 2014, and won the interschool debate organised by the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Lagos State chapter, this year.

    Ishola said the school which threw its doors open on October 3, 2004 with 112 pupils now has about 150 population. He said the management under his leadership is already thinking of how to improve the enrolment by ensuring that the school continues to be one of the best.

    An old pupil of the school, Miss Boboye Fashola (2012 set), said: “On behalf of my colleagues who are here and several others I say a big thank you to all our teachers and wish our alma mater well,” she said.

    The highlight of the event was the inauguration of the old students’ association and award presentation.

     

  • Teachers seek review of curriculum

    Teachers seek review of curriculum

    THE challenges of teaching topped discussion during a conference of the South-east zone of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU). The event, held at the Federal College of Education (Technical) in Umunze, Anambra State, centred on how participants could bring about change in the profession.

    COEASU coordinator in the South-east, Dr Ikechukwu Agboh, said the conference was an opportunity to explore practical ways to improve teaching. He described education as “the greatest treasure”, stressing that there is need for improvement in teachers’ performance at all times. He urged the participants to invest in knowledge.

    The Provost, Prof Josephat Ogbuagu, who spoke on the theme: Teacher education in Nigeria: Challenges and prospects, listed the challenges of teaching to include weak regulations, lack of accountability, sharp practices, autonomy and inadequate funding, among others.

    He said: “Quality of training institutions has also been of concern to the stakeholders. If the challenges are properly addressed, our education institutions would be placed in good ranking among teacher training institutions in the world.”

    Ogbuagu said the Federal Government, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) need to take steps to improve and raise the standard in colleges of education.

    “This is evident in documents produced on teaching standards and quality. Continuous renewal of the NCE minimum standards, sensitisation workshops and re-accreditation exercises would bring about improved training and development,” he added.

    COEASU chairman in the college, Dr Albert Nwamaradi, said the national policy on education was clear on how the goals of tertiary education should be pursued, noting that research and dissemination of knowledge were key points in the policy. He said the conference provided a platform for teachers to share experiences and ideas for the good of the profession.

    Dr Ephraim Orikpe, who chaired the occasion, described the theme of the conference as timely, saying the event would proffer workable solutions to several challenges facing education.

    He said: “I expected all colleges of education in the South-east to mobilise their lecturers to attend the conference to discuss the problems. Anambra State stands out in the funding of education. Other states should borrow a leaf from the state.”

    Governor Willie Obiano stressed the need for capacity building for teachers in order to make them improve on quality. He expressed joy that the conference dwelt solely on teachers’ education, advising the participants take advantage of the conference to improve their skills.

    The governor was represented by the Permanent Secretary, of the Ministry of Education, Dr Beatrice Okonkwo.

    In his keynote speech, Provost of Federal College of Education in Asaba, Dr Ignatius Ezoem, urged the NCCE to set acceptable standard for establishment of college.

    He said: “Teaching practice helps to monitor our standard. Teaching practice is integral for the measurement of students’ ability to teach. Some teachers don’t teach according to the curriculum; they feed their students with personal opinions. The notes they have been using for the past seven years have not been updated. These teachers ignore development in the profession.”

    He called for the review of curriculum in order to groom students for self- employment.

  • Lagos trains 180 French teachers

    ONE hundred and eighty French teachers from all six education districts in Lagos State have received training to update their skills.

    The training, which was organised by the Lagos State Teachers Establishment and Pensions office (TEPO), held at the Teachers Resource Centre, in Owutu, Ikorodu, Lagos.

    TEPO’s Permanent Secretary, TEPO, Mrs Sewanu Amosu said the training was essential for the teachers because it offered diagnostic help to the participants in problem areas.

    She said the government was determined to resuscitate the language because of its relevance as well as focus more on the spoken character of it than its written knowledge.

    “The ability to speak the language is a major distinctive quality of the language. We should emphasise on the oral and not just the written part,” Mrs Amosu said.

    Resource facilitator, Prof Remi Sonaiya, said Nigeria’s development is dependent on it.

    “French is a language of the elites. You can contribute to the smooth running of many international organisations and agencies. You can become as well as train diplomats, aid workers, translators, interpreters, negotiators, broadcasters, airline announcers. All these depend on the quality of your spoken French and your ability to impact.

    “Put passion in your work. You must invest in yourselves so that you can be the best you can possibly be that money cannot buy,” she said.

    Another facilitator and director of the resource centre, Mrs Rhoda Ayinde, said the training was important because Nigeria is surrounded by Francophone countries.

    “We want our French teachers to give our students the very best because they have to be current. Our Pupils need to know that the knowledge of this language can open diverse doors and opportunities for them,” she said.

  • Why teachers must be tech-savvy, by council registrar

    Registrar and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Prof Josiah Ajiboye, has said advancement in technology will help the teaching profession to deliver on its core mandate. Technology, he noted, would not render the profession useless. Only teachers who are not tech-savvy will nurture fear of losing their jobs, he said.

    Ajiboye, who spoke at the Fifth Induction of the Federal College of Education (FCE), Eha-Amufu in Enugu State, said the nation required teachers that are conversant with technological tools to achieve efficient teaching and learning. The registrar urged teachers to keep themselves abreast of modern teaching techniques to be relevant in the profession.

    He said: “Technology will not replace teachers. It is only those who do not know how to use technology that can be replaced by those who know how to use it. The era of using analog method in teaching is gone. Teachers who are technologically-compliant cannot be pushed to the background.”

    Ajiboye said that the council had been in partnership with Federal Ministry of Education to improve the qualities of teachers in the country in order to attain the needed speciality in the profession. He said the National Council on Education had agreed on the proposal, because training of teachers was necessary for promoting human capital development.

    He added: “No education can rise beyond the quality of the teachers. In the same way, no country can rise without the quality of its education. The only constant variable in the teaching and learning process is teacher. We have come to the conclusion that we are going to focus attention on the issue of quality teaching. This is why we use teachers’ induction to promote professionalism.”

    He hailed the college’s management for giving quality training to the inductees, adding that the performance of the institution’s graduates made the college to be ranked high in the country.

    The Provost, Prof Benjamin Mbah, welcomed the council’s decision to participate in graduates’ induction, saying it would help in detecting quacks in the profession. The induction, he said, is an indication that teaching is no longer for “all comers”.

    The college’s registrar, Mrs Ngozi Nebedum, stressed the relevance of quality teachers, who she described as “good managers”.She said teachers required to pass through the rigours of academic training to ensure discipline. She urged the inductees to be agents of change in their places of assignment.

    Highpoint of the event was presentation of a lecture titled: The potency of teacher education in the 21st Century, by Dr Henry Ani, the Dean of Faculty of Education.

  • Learner-friendly device for teachers, pupils

    A software which demystifies learning between pupils and teachers has been demonstrated to heads of schools, proprietors and directors of learning.

    Either in school or at home, learners have unfettered access to their teachers or facilitators through a tap on the button on the digital device.

    Dynamiss, a digital learning solutions firm, and facilitator of the device tagged ‘LP365, said the software could only be installed on request by interested schools, which eventually get by through a username and a password.

    Dynamis Country Director, Lolu Elegbe spoke during a conference tagged: ‘Digital education and IT funding,’ which was held at Classique Events Centre in Oregun, Lagos.The event was organised in conjunction with Microsoft.

    Elegbe said the application could be most ideal during emergency.

    “For example during the time of Ebola, students who were sent home could have continued their studies at their various homes,” Elegbe said.

    According to him, the initiative behind LP365 is to drive digital learning in Africa.  “We know that Nigeria and most of Africa is not where they are supposed to be in terms of digital learning; so we are trying to bridge that gap in terms of where we are and where we are supposed to be.

    “We have to make sure that we are sending them (graduates) out with the right digital skills that they need in the global market,” he added.

    He said reception by Nigerians to the device has been dramatic.

    “(Initially), We had some level of scepticism as we felt Nigeria is not ready, but when we started to tell people what we are doing, why we are doing it and show them the application, the response has been encouraging,” he said.

    Elegbe explained that a number of schools have keyed into the initiative, noting that they would not be receptive to more offers.

    “It is built specifically for schools so any school can use it no matter how small,” he said.

    He continued: “The world is moving too quickly so we need to make digital education a benchmark here. We need to get to the point where we don’t take books but tablets to school and we will need the federal government to make that happen.”

    On her part, the firm Head of Sales Angela Oyekanmi, said the software is available at N10,000 per licence.

     

  • Improve teachers’ lot, educationists say

    Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) Provost, Dr Ladele Aina, has advocated the improvement of teachers’ lot through human capacity development.

    Dean of the Faculty of Education of the Lagos State University (LASU), Prof Clement Fasan, who made the same call, said it took extra expertise to teach.

    The duo spoke at a maiden interactive session orgainsed by the institution for workers during World Teachers Day (WTD).

    Aina called for a more supportive environment for her colleagues.

    Aina said: “Today, we call for the creation of a supportive teaching environment, functional teacher training institutes, prompt payment of teachers’ salaries and safeguard for the rights of teachers. The vicious cycle of declining professional conditions of teachers must be broken to improve the quality of learning for all. As we recruit teachers, we must continue to improve the quality of learning for all.”

    Fasan, a co-discussant at the event, recalled the theme of this year’s WTD -Valuing teachers, improving their status as ‘ideal’, saying teachers need to be motivated to do more.

    “I must confess, it is not easy to teach,’’ Fasan added.

    He continued:”The theme of this year is quite appropriate because it focuses on celebrating teachers.  We need to encourage them through consistent training, so they can improve on their performances and automatically improve on the society.”

     

     

     

  • Agency screens teachers for pension

    The Lagos State Teachers’ Establishment Pension Office (TEPO) has undertaken its yearly pension verification for retirees from the state teaching service.

    The one-week exercise, which started last Wednesday, only screened pensioners who retired under the old pension scheme so as to get accurate figure of existing pensioners to avert fraud.

    The exercise, which took place at TEPO in Old Secretariat, Ikeja, also held in all six education districts in the state.

    The biometric exercise also helped to update the pensions record to know how many retirees are on the pay roll of the State Government as well as give opportunity to those who missed the previous verification and their names were removed from the payroll to get them reinstated.

    TEPO Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Sewanu Amosu, explained that payment of the six per cent and 15 per cent increment on pensions by the state government commenced last year.

    She called on retirees yet to be paid to write to TEPO with all relevant documents so that their increment could be processed.

  • Lagos promotes 8,617 primary school teachers

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has approved the promotion of 8,617 public primary school teachers.

    Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB) Executive Chairman, Dr Ganiyu Sopeyin said the promotion has cleared the backlog inherited by the present administration in primary schools.

    He said 10,851 public primary school teachers of various grade levels sat for the promotion examination.

    He assured that the government would continue to provide for the needs of basic education in order to ensure qualitative and quantitative education in a condusive atmosphere in the state.

    He urged successful teachers not to relent but let their success spur them to do more because government has high expec. “I urge you to be fair, friendly and fear God in your service delivery,” he said.

    Sopeyin observed that since the present administration came on board a lot of laudable developments have taken place in education and other sectors which have gained local and international recognition.

    He recalled that recently Ambode was conferred with the Best Performing Governor in Primary Education in Nigeria for the Year Award by the Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria in Kano State.