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Tag: World teachers’ day

  • World Teachers’ Day: Kwara residents advocate better welfare for teachers

    World Teachers’ Day: Kwara residents advocate better welfare for teachers

    Residents of Ilorin on Thursday called for better welfare for teachers as the World Teachers’ Day is celebrated in the country.

    Some of the residents said a teacher forms the bedrock of any society and should be well catered for.

    Mr Lucky Adesanya, a resident, said teachers were being taken for granted in the country.

    “Teachers are the set of people we should be supported and encouraged, but our belief that their reward is in heaven has made us to leave them impoverished.

    “Their welfare should be paramount to both government and individuals, if we really want to appreciate the role they play in the society,” Adesanya said.

    Mrs Adijat Adeosun said that their salary structure should be the best, however, lamented that it was the other way round.

    “The salary of teachers should be the best going by their importance in our society; but it is a pity that they are among the worst paid.

    “They are not well regarded especially in this state, so there is nothing to celebrate about teachers,” Adeosun said.

    Another resident, Mr Blessing Yusuf  argued that teachers should be given better treatment than they were currently getting.

    “The regulatory bodies should ensure that only qualified staffs are employed.

    “Although teachers should be well taken care of, but I am sorry to say this, some are not worthy to be called one.

    “Some of them lack the qualification to even pass knowledge to other people, so how can they impart knowledge?

    “So, it is important for the regulatory body to ensure that they are sound enough to teach, so that they don’t do our children more harm than good because you can’t give what you don’t have,” Yusuf said.

    NAN

  • There are 207,818 unqualified teachers in primary schools – TRCN

    There are 207,818 unqualified teachers in primary schools – TRCN

    There are 207, 818 unqualified teachers in primary schools across Nigeria, the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) said on Wednesday.

    Its Registrar, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, said this in a paper presented to mark 2017 World Teachers’ Day in Abuja.

    He said the North East has 57.7 per cent of the total figure because of the activities of Boko Haram in the region.

    Ajiboye said: “There are 207, 818 unqualified teachers in the primary schools. The North East zone has the highest figure of 57.7 per cent. Undoubtedly, the situation degenerated with invasion of insurgents.

    “The North West has 46.8 per cent, North Central 38 per cent, South-South 19.2 per cent, South-East 16.7 per cent and South-West 6.7 per cent.”

    According to him, an experiment carried out by the agency in 2014 showed that 1,300 out of 1,599  teachers failed arithmetic and basic literacy tests, scoring below 25 per cent.

    “All these are adding to the problems of ascertaining the quality of teachers in Nigeria. The hydra-headed crisis-quality and quantity of teachers demands a strong policy response.”

    He said Boko Haram has killed 611 teachers since 2009.

    “In Nigeria, since the beginning of the Boko Haram attacks in 2009 till date, over 611 teachers were killed and 19,000 displaced in the North East,” he added.

    He called on the Federal Government to pay attention to teachers’ welfare and organize professional training for them.

    “Improving teachers’ welfare packages and regular payment of salaries and allowances, will eventually improve teachers’ job performances, productivity and job satisfaction.

    “Teachers’ professional development should be taken with all seriousness so as to build teachers’ capacity and improve students learning,” Ajiboye said.

    He said the agency has registered and certified over 1.8 million teachers since the inception of the Council.

     

  • Obaseki promises capacity enhancement for Edo teachers

    Obaseki promises capacity enhancement for Edo teachers

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has congratulated teachers on World Teachers Day, celebrated on October 5, each year.

     

    Obaseki assured that more capacity enhancement programmes were underway in view of the importance his administration attaches to teachers and the teaching profession.

     

    “We felicitate with Edo State teachers and their counterparts elsewhere in the world and appreciate their unique role in the overall development of the society” the governor said.

     

     “We are changing the face of teaching in Edo State, beginning with basic education through secondary and to tertiary education, with series of capacity building programmes designed to equip our teachers with new teaching methods and equipment for the challenges of the modern world.

     

    “We are calibrating the broad spectrum of education so that more attention will be paid to technical as well as non-technical education. We are repositioning the College of Education, which is now being upgraded to a university, to ensure world class training for future teachers in the state,” Obaseki said.

     

    He urged teachers to see their highly respected job as an opportunity to groom the best minds for the society and ultimately the world at large.

    The governor further said that the theme of this year’s celebration: “Teaching in Freedom, Empowering Teachers,” was timely as it reflects the state government’s desire to build a pool of well-trained teachers.

     

    He called on teachers to use the occasion to assess the challenges ahead of them in view of the impact of information and communication technology (ICT), noting that in the years ahead, literacy will not be determined by the ability to read and write but by how well people are able to use technology to solve problems around them.

  • FG appeals to states to pay teachers

    FG appeals to states to pay teachers

    The Federal Government on Tuesday urged state governments who are owing teachers’ salaries to pay them.

    Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu made the appeal at a briefing to mark this year’s World Teachers Day, in Abuja

    The Minister, said teachers, despite their contributions to the society and nation building, had continued to be neglected.

    He said the federal government directed state governors to use the bailout it released twice to them to settle salaries including that of teachers.

    Adamu said: “I think it is very necessary that we pay our teachers right here on earth and celebrating this day just underscores the issues and their basic needs.

    “Teachers deserve to be appreciated for their great role in nation building.

    “The federal government has given out largest bailout twice to the states to settle salaries. We are doing the best we can.”

    Earlier in his remarks, National President, Nigeria Union Teachers, Michael Alogba-Olukoya, there was need for teachers to be treated well in the society.

    Alogba-Olukoya, who was represented by Acting Secretary General of the union Dr. Mike Ikeme, commended the teachers for their dedication and resilience in carrying out their professional tasks.

    “The annual observance of this important day has helped reawaken the consciousness of nations and citizenry to the important role of teachers and the need for teachers to be accorded a status commensurate with the role they play in society.

    “I salute them for their passion in their chosen profession and their sacrifice and courage in keeping the flag flying despite obvious odds against their calling.

    “I urge them to continue to be patriotic and contribute their best to the growth and development of our dear nation,” he said.

  • World teachers’ day: 600 teachers killed, 19,000 displaced by Boko Haram

    World teachers’ day: 600 teachers killed, 19,000 displaced by Boko Haram

    •Fayose gives teachers cars •Headmaster-General, Tutors-General appointed

    Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has said over 600 teachers were killed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in  the Northeast.

    NUT’s National President Michael Olukoya spoke in Ado Ekiti yesterday at the celebration of this year’s World Teachers’ Day. He called on federal and state governments to tighten security in schools to prevent further attacks.

    Olukoya said 19,000 teachers were among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northeast ravaged by insurgency.

    In a speech delivered on his behalf by a senior NUT official, Samson Akinlade, Olukoya urged the Federal Government to rescue the Chibok schoolgirls abducted by the insurgents since April 2014.

    Olukoya said: ”The memory of the Chibok girls and thousands of others whose potential and lives have been truncated , remains traumatic and demoralising.

    “It is on record that over 600 teachers lost their lives to the terror attacks. These include 308 in Borno, 75 on Adamawa, 18 in Yobe, 25 in Kaduna, 120 in Plateau, 63 in Kano and 2 in Gombe States.

    “This is in addition to 19,000 teachers displaced and suffering great losses due to barbaric activities of the insurgents.”

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose gave out brand new Kia Soul cars to the best teachers in primary and secondary schools. Headmaster-Generals for primary schools was appointed and given brand new cars.

    Smiling home with the cars are the newly-appointed Headmaster General, Mrs. Rachel Talabi; the Best Primary School Teacher, Mrs. Mary Akindele and the Best Secondary School Teacher, Mr. Ife Adeola.

    Three Tutor-Generals appointed for each senatorial district are Mr. Oluwole Awolusi (Ekiti North), Mr. Rufus Olufarati (Ekiti Central) and Mrs. Monisola Olonisakin (Ekiti South).

    Fayose said: “I know the value of your votes and what you represent. I won’t joke with your interest. I decided that the programme is shown live to show the strength of our teachers and their support for us.

    “The issues raised are being addressed and you know our financial situation and within the limit of our finances we will address them. In 2003, we were 35th in public examinations conducted by WAEC and NECO and we moved to the eighth and seventh positions.

    “Though, I applied for N29.6 billion bailout from the CBN, which would have covered payment for all salaries, allowances and pension. But only N9.1b was approved . This is not political. But it is only what I get that I can share”, he clarified.

    “If I did not leave at that time, we would have been No. 1. We have held education summit and we want to make Ekiti State a force to be reckoned with in the country.This year we are working hard and I want to assure you we will get there,” he said.

    Eminent lawyer and Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), urged teachers to be more committed to their duty to justify the support given them by the state government.

    “What I saw today showed that truly Fayose is a friend of teachers. If I see it on television, I won’t be happy. I thank the governor that he asked me to come.

    “I am a teacher too and it will be 70 years next January that I started teaching. I thank the governor for bringing you all together here to celebrate yourselves,” he said.

    The State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Mr Kayode Akosile, said the coming of Fayose had restored hope in teachers.

    Akosile stressed that they were discouraged by some policies of the previous administration. He promised the support and cooperation of teachers to the government.