- 18 states did not recruit any teacher in five years despite shortage of same
Education is the nurturing and information every child receives from birth till death. Indeed, every fundamental education starts with the informal type given by parents and other care givers. Formal education starts from the age of six, as a logical follow-up of the play group/kindergarten stages. From age six to 12, every child is entitled to the benefits of formal education. According to the United Nations, education is the right of every child. It is the basic building block of society.
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) was established by the Compulsory, Free Universal Education and Other Related Matters Act of 2004, with a mandate of coordinating all aspects of UBE programme implementation.
The Universal Basic Education Programme (UBEP) was initiated by the former President Obasanjo administration in 1999, with the aim of ensuring and monitoring quality assurance in education at the basic levels throughout Nigeria.
They provide; Early Child Care Development Education (ECCDE), primary education and junior secondary education. To fully carry out their mandate, they need a thorough coordination of activities between local, state and the federal governments. Teachers are at the core of all levels of education. They need to be well-trained, fully orientated and well-motivated because, how most children progress in life is often determined by the quality of basic education they received.
This is why we feel a sense of shock, with the lamentation by the Universal Basic Education Commission of shortage of teachers in public schools across the country. ‘The Punch’ Newspaper reported that over 47 million pupils are currently enrolled in 171,027 private and public primary and junior secondary schools in the country, without adequate number of teachers. This is worrisome. UBEC claims that the total number of public schools could be around 79,775, while private schools currently stand at 91,252.
There are reports that about 18 states in the country have not recruited teachers in the last five years. This, in a tech and AI 21st century is not only disappointing but also discouraging, given the value of education in modern times. The problems of either lack of trained teachers or total neglect of the education sector have been in the country for decades. This is a sure sign of the value that all tiers of government have put on education.
The fact that more than half the 36 states in Nigeria have not employed teachers in the last five years is the loudest evidence that basic education does not seem to be a priority in the country. The teaching profession is the root of all other professions, including that of the political leaders whose lack of diligence affects the lives of the next generation. Indeed, the teaching profession is one of the most respected across the developed world. In Nigeria, conversely, teaching is seen as a low-level job meant only for less successful people in other fields.
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This issue must not be subjected to a plethora of summits and conferences that seem to be the fate of such issues that ordinarily should be treated as emergency, with actions that can reverse the trend. Today, due to lack of serious emphasis on the teaching profession through the training of professional teachers, good welfare and provision of infrastructure, many of the few people who have passion for teaching are seeking other jobs. There is lack of incentives. Many of the ones with training are being lured by countries in the West, as they provide better options.
The idea of politicising teacher-recruitment equally affects the quality of those engaged. Lack of infrastructure makes the condition of public schools, which ironically were attended by many of the present leaders, very unattractive in ways that even the few teachers in public schools send their children and wards to private schools. The education sector must attract the attention of governments because, without well-trained teachers, especially at the basic level, standards might continue to fall, putting the country’s future and development in jeopardy.
