Teachers feel under-appreciated according to Prof. Alexander Kure, Provost, Kaduna State College of Education who has identified lack of appreciation from parents, as a reason for truancy in the teaching profession.
Kure made this assertion during a symposium to mark the 2019 World Teachers’ Day, in Abuja on Thursday.
He said a number of reasons were responsible for teachers’ truancy, identifying lack of appreciation from parents and other stakeholders as fundamental reason.
According to him, lack of training and re-training of teachers, students’ misbehaviour and pressure to meet targets, among others, are some of the challenges facing the profession.
“In a sample of 106,000 teachers in 34 countries, only 35 per cent believe that they are appreciated by the general public. The result is, therefore, only one reason for teachers’ truancy.
“In Nigeria, teachers were more likely to skip school without a good reason, than in almost any country.
“More than one in ten school head teachers reported their unjustifiable absence only on weekly basis.
“Sadly, many young teachers in Nigeria take on the teaching profession for different reasons; many become teachers probably because they love the subjects they studied at school.
“Others take on the challenge of ensuring that the young in the society grow in maturity and wisdom for the stimulation of working with like-minded colleagues, ” he said.
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Kure, however, called on Nigerian teachers to enhance their commitment towards the teaching profession.
Also, Prof. Garba Azare, Director-General, National Teachers Institute (NTI), Kaduna, said that investment in teachers and education, was investment in human capital.
Azare added that to enhance the level of the country’s educational system, 25 per cent of the country’s budget should be allocated to education.
“Investment in teachers’ education is human capital development, if you develop a teacher, you develop a nation.
” The system should reward teachers, who will teach students how to learn and not what to learn.
“A well motivated teacher will put in his best and encourage others to join the profession. Teachers should be accorded top priority for efficient service delivery, ” he said.
Azare, therefore, called for the prioritisation of teacher education and as well as the provision of internet facilities to both teachers and students.
Accordisng to him, this will provide them with access to wider range of information that will assist them in effectively and efficiently carrying out their duties.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the World Teachers’Day also known as International Day of Teachers, is held yearly on October 5.
Since its inception in 1994 the Day marks “teaching in freedom”; and the ILO/UNESCO recommendations at the intergovernmental conference on the status of teachers held in Paris.
The purpose centres around “acknowledging, evaluation and enhancing the instructors of the world, and to give a chance to consider the issues identified with educators and the teaching process in general.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Young Teachers, the Future of the Profession”.