BY Ebunoluwa Olafusi
Tahir Mamman, minister of education, says teachers need to be equipped with the right skills and resources to meet the evolving demands of education.
Speaking on Thursday at the commemoration of the World Teachers Day in Abuja, Mamman said teachers should be honoured for their invaluable roles in the development of humanity and society.
The minister said some of the promises made to teachers have been fulfilled as they can now retire at either 65 years of age or 40 years of service.
He added that teachers’ salaries have since been placed on the first line charge for timely payment.
“Today, we have come together not merely as individuals but as a global community to celebrate the unsung heroes of our society,” Mamman said.
“World Teachers Day is not just an annual observance but a testament to the transformative power of education and the dedication of those who facilitate it.
“As we embark on this event with the theme ‘The Teacher We Need for the Education We Want: The Global Trend to Reverse the Teacher Shortage’, let us reflect on the impediments that teachers encounter while instilling knowledge, values, and hope.
“We have to re-evaluate our approach to teacher training, recruitment, and welfare and equip teachers with the skills, resources and recognition they deserve to meet the evolving demands of education in the 21st century.
“It is, therefore, paramount that while reaffirming the importance of their invaluable role in shaping a brighter tomorrow every year, there is a dire need to clear the hurdles that prevent the optimal realisation of their roles and targets.”
Mamman added that teaching goes beyond the confines of the classroom.
He explained that it is a continuous effort to inspire, motivate and guide students towards their full potential.
“Teachers should note that their words resonate deeply with their students and pupils, thereby reaffirming the importance of the educator’s role in nurturing creativity or cluelessness and curiosity or apathy,” he said.
“We all know that teaching is more than imparting knowledge and involves instilling a lifelong love for learning, character building, inducting positive attitude and general relationship with people outside the classroom.
“All these are informally transmitted through the teachers’ conduct.
“As we celebrate teachers today, there is a need for teachers in Nigeria to be appreciative of efforts by the Federal Government to reposition the teaching profession.”
On his part, Yusuf Sununu, minister of state for education, said the shortage of teachers in the country is a serious challenge.
“If all equipped teachers are passionate and ready to pursue excellence, the teachers we have in our schools can collectively revolutionise the basic and secondary education sub-sectors,” Sununu said.
“Ongoing international deliberations recommend changes that anchor on commitment, connections, communication and creativity in the prevailing traditional education methodology.
“Therefore, education is at a critical juncture and teachers in service require constant training and retraining to fit into the scheme of things.”
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