Nigerians know better about teacher education than Kapil Sibal

Education reform should begin with teacher education

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/features/31437-education-reform-should-begin-with-teacher-education-

Written by Kehinde AdioFriday, 18 November 2011

HUMAN capital development process  originated from teacher education where trainers are trained to produce quality future leaders. Based on this established fact, the need to develop and promote constructive teacher training colleges cannot be overemphasised both in the developed and developing countries like Nigeria.

The Provost, Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo, Dr Emmanuel Adeniyi, belongs to the school of thought that shares the opinion that  unless  education reform begins from colleges of education, the purpose of the reform may not be achieved .  This is because  the quality of  teachers determines the quality of the  end products of primary and secondary schools that proceed  to the tertiary institutions for professional training in various fields.

In a chat with the Nigerian Tribune recently, Dr Adeniyi expressed dissatisfaction over  the non-challant attitude of Nigerians   towards  the teaching profession and the colleges of education where they are being produced. According to him, people seem to forget that  all other professions in the economy ; lawyers, medical doctors, pilots and the rest of them,  must  pass through the teacher at their primary and secondary school levels.

“ Then, if we mean business with our education reform in the country, let us start the reform process from the teachers and the colleges where they are being trained.

First and foremost, To attracts able hands and brilliant students in the profession, the profession must be made attractive with good remunerations, good welfare packages and other incentive for their retention attraction in the profession. Moreover, the colleges where they receive the training must be well equipped in terms of teaching facilities, conducive learning environment,  with scholarship and other learning incentives for the students.

‘’It is sad to note that in Nigeria, people prefer to send their children to university rather than polytechnics or colleges of education, because of the inferior values the public places on the institution and the profession. One of the ways government can rescue the system is to introduce a special education policy for teacher training colleges that would support their elevation  in terms of facilities and admission requirement intake.

“In this regard, the introduction of the common admission examination ( the UTME) for polytechnics, colleges and universities  is a welcome development , as it bridges the gap among the three categories of institutions.

“The admission requirement to colleges of education must not be lower than that of the  university. Rather, it should be higher because of the sensitive nature of the institution, as life moulding centres.

“In addition, one other advantage that the upgrading of colleges their of education would afford the education is that, if colleges of education are allowed to run degree programmes it will go a long way to reduce the pressure being mounted on the limited number of the universities in the country as regard admission. It will not cost government so much to upgrade those colleges of education. Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo is a good example. FCE Oyo has what it takes to run degree progammes

“Therefore, for Nigerian education system to achieve its objective  every stakeholder in the system must be committed to their responsibility and contribute their quota to the growth and development of the system.

While Adeniyi expressed optimism that it would be well with education in Nigeria, he sounded a note of warning that government should henceforth desist from signing any agreement that it would not fulfill. This is one of the major causes of campus unrest in this  country

“ Now, tertiary institutions are tending towards stability unlike in the past. I believe stability can be sustained if government would keep to its promises. Let there be a sincere fulfillment of any agreement reached with the unions. It is better not to enter into unrealistic agreement. It is therefore necessary for government to invite the unions concerned for final discussion on any previous agreement ever reached and resolve them once and for all. Agreement should not be a factor that would pull down the education progress of this country.

Dr Adeniyi has exhibited his administrative prowess he developed over the years for the advancement of the Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo, academically and stability wise. He joined the college in 1982. In 1991, he left the college for another federal college  before he came back to assume the office of the Provost of the college by appointment in 2007. His administrative skill has  earned him another term, having completed his first term successfully.