By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan.
Registrar/Chief Executive of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Professor Olusegun Ajiboye on Wednesday declared that only a well equipped and motivated teacher can impart the right knowledge to preserve the future of Nigeria.
Professor Ajiboye stated this in a paper delivered at the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo to mark the World Teacher’s day entitled “The Teacher as a Professional in Time Perspective: The Nigeria Experience” a copy which was made available to newsmen in Ibadan.
The TRCN Registrar pointed out that the country with a well-developed teacher education policy, “it is only the full implementation of the policy that will place Nigeria among the world top most technologically advanced nations”.
Professor Ajiboye noted that the place of teachers in national development cannot be overemphasized, saying, the resolve of President Muhammadu Buhari administration to bring “an everlasting reform in the education sector which is essentially pivoted on teacher quality and quest for professionalism, the focus of the federal government will be on teacher education and teacher quality for the next two years”.
“Nigeria’s cultures, values and local studies are threatened everyday by mega cultures as a result of technological advancement. It is only the teachers, if properly motivated, will protect and preserve our local values, cultures and studies. The digital age, if properly harnessed will make our teachers not only to compete in the labour market globally, but also improve the types of knowledge they impart to students. Without adequate empowerment of teachers with digital knowledge, there shall be deficiency of manpower to manage modern competitive enterprises and sophisticated technologies,” he said.
The TRCN Registrar added that to achieve the goals of teacher education in Nigeria, teachers in the country “needs to be equipped, inspired and motivated with better remuneration packages so that they can impart the right knowledge and skills to the students, otherwise, the nation is in danger of producing unqualified manpower for the future Nigeria”.
Professor Ajiboye said teachers are the major key players of development through quality education, adding that only a well protected and motivated teacher can protect Nigeria’s cultures and values.
