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Raymond Ozoji, Awka
The Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has bemoaned what it described as gross neglect of teachers across the country by the powers that be.
It said it was a major challenge to the teaching profession in the country as teachers’ welfare was treated with levity and complacence.
Disclosing this at the induction ceremony of the graduating students of the faculty of education Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria Prof. Josaiah Olusegun Ajiboye, maintained that due to the neglect of the teaching sector, the integrity of the profession has been lost.
Ajiboye who spoke at the weekend at the university auditorium, further remonstrated that teachers were neglected in all ramifications stressing that priority attention was not accorded the education sector in the country.
Represented on the occasion by the Deputy Director Operations TRCN Abuja, Mazi Adamu Bellow, the Registrar equally observed that modern developments of innovative techologies had provided new opportunities in the teaching profession but had also placed very high demands on teachers to use new technologies in teaching and learning process.
He noted that the paradim shift from analogue to digital teaching called for teachers to be abreast of new trends in teaching as well as apply same during knowledge transmission.
According to him, induction and oath administration symbolised formal acceptance into the teaching profession. He therefore charged the inductees to endeavour to update their knowledge as well as abide by the ethics of the teaching profession.
Guest speaker and former Governor of Anambra state Dame Virgy Etiaba in her speech maintained that teaching was a noble profession and should be treated with utmost regard while commending the Anambra state governor Chief Willie Obiano for providing an extra commissioner for education to further revamp the sector.
Vice Chancellor Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Prof. Joseph Eberendu Ahaneku represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) Prof.Charles Okechukwu Esimone, said induction placed high responsibilities on the individuals and that it was incumbent on them to protect the sanctity of the teaching profession.
Ahaneku however posited that the greatest disservice to humanity was to encourage mediocrity in the teaching profession, adding that teachers were everywhere but only an infinitesimal number were professionals. He also stated that the value of any nation depended on the premium placed on teachers.
The Dean, Faculty of Education Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Prof. Nkechi Esomonu, observed that TRCN insisted that professionals should defend their profession. She said the 2018 graduating students were the first to sit for a professional examination in order to be registered by the teachers’ council.
She therefore charged the newly inducted teachers to be of good conduct as well as observe personal decorum in the discharge of their professional duties.
Meanwhile, Anambra Commissioner for Basic Education Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha and her counterpart in the Science and Tertiary Education sector Prof.Teresa Nkechi Obiekezie reiterated the dire need for the new teachers to be diligent and humane in their professional practice as the nation was grappling with makeshift teachers and quacks in the education sector.
