Minister wants professional standards enforced for teachers

NAN-H-75
Teachers
By Modupe Seriboh
Ibadan, June 13, 2017 (NAN) The Minister of  Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, on Tuesday called on education commissioners in  states to commence the implementation of  professional standards for teachers in the country.

The minister made the call  in Ibadan at the opening of a three-day workshop tagged:  “Train the Trainers on the implementation of the Teachers Professional Standard and Code of Conduct.’’

The workshop was  organised by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

Represented by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anwukah Anthony, Adamu said the  quality and professional development of teachers  was a cardinal policy directive of the present administration.

According to him, a well trained qualified teacher who is dedicated to the profession will achieve much in teaching delivery with moderate logistics.

The minister  cited factors affecting quality of education  to include inadequate funding, low quality teaching personnel, poor infrastructure, poverty of  curriculum and absence of dedicated practitioners.

He said there was the need for teaching,  just like other professions,  to evolve  a set of standards and ethical framework to guide the practice of  teachers.

” I, therefore,  urge you as critical stakeholders to pay special attention to this workshop and work toward  cascading it in your states for the benefit of the wider teaching force, ” he said.

Prof. Olusegun Ajiboye, the Registrar of  TRCN, said there must be  standards  in the teaching profession,  adding that teaching is a profession rather than a career.

He said  a model for professional standard was developed  for teachers  six years ago although it was not  implemented.

Ajiboye said that the TRCN was  working toward  strengthening  the professional competence and capacity of teachers to deliver quality service.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  reports that participants at the workshop included selected teachers across the federation and  Directors of Quality Assurance.

Others included the Directors of Schools from the state Ministries of Education and Universal Basic Education Boards respectively. (NAN)
MAM/OJO
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(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)