Professor Josiah Ajiboye, former Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), has urged the Federal Government to establish a National Teachers and Caregivers Commission to address the common challenges facing educators. requested.
Professor Ajiboye made this appeal at the International Teachers’ Day celebrations of the Educational Universities and Academic Staff Union (COEASU) held in Abuja, Nigeria.
Mr. Ajiboye gave a presentation titled “Making Teachers’ Voices Matter: A Panacea to Rejuvenate Teacher Education in Nigeria”, stressing the need to pay greater attention to the welfare of teachers and caregivers.
Ajiboye, who was the guest speaker at the event, expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in the teaching profession in Nigeria.
The University of Ibadan Don has called on relevant authorities to take decisive action, including the creation of a platform where teachers can actively participate in shaping educational policy, curriculum design and school governance.
He said teachers should be involved in policy-making processes and platforms need to be developed to ensure their voices are heard, and ongoing professional development is needed for educators to improve their teaching skills. It added that a mechanism to collect teachers’ feedback on development programs should also be created.
He also recommended the establishment of professional communities where teachers can collaborate, share experiences and develop innovative teaching methods.
He noted that such cooperation would foster continuous learning and improve the overall quality of education.
Ajiboye also advocated for a structured system for educators to provide feedback on education reforms and policies.
He encouraged the government to promote leadership opportunities for teachers within schools and communities through mentoring programs and training in advocacy skills, while touting the need for governments to meet the welfare of teachers and carers. .
“Establish a national teachers and caregivers welfare board where attention will be paid to these two different categories of educators,” he said.
Mr Ajiboye also called on the government to increase funding for education infrastructure, review teacher welfare policies and launch a national recruitment campaign to attract more talent to the teaching profession.
Professor Ajiboye expressed concern over the declining status of teachers in Nigeria, warning that the profession was in crisis due to poor treatment, lack of visibility and dwindling interest among young Nigerians. .
He pointed out that the exodus of experienced educators to other professions is making the situation even worse.
“Teaching, once considered a noble profession, is now facing an existential crisis in Nigeria. The alarming decline in interest in teaching as a profession and the mass retirement of qualified teachers have led to an urgent It shows that intervention is needed. It is time to recognize the gravity of this problem and take immediate action to restore the dignity of education,” Ajiboye said.
He stressed that teachers, like other professions in the country, should play a leading role in addressing welfare and professional development.
Among other recommendations to revitalize Nigeria’s teacher education system, Mr. Ajiboye emphasized the importance of putting teachers’ voices at the center of any reforms.
He said teacher education curricula should be tailored to reflect the real-world challenges faced by educators, with professional development programs focused on both local issues and global best practices. he claimed.
Professor Ajiboye also called for a comprehensive review of the teaching profession in Nigeria, stressing the need for collaborative efforts by government, educational institutions and stakeholders to ensure a brighter future for the country’s education system.
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