Lagos- Some Lecturers at the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin, on Friday urged governments at the state and federal levels to provide incentives to education students, to forestall manpower shortage in the sector.
The lecturers spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Mr Wole Ajose, the Deputy Provost of the College, told NAN that such incentives would reduce the challenges experienced in the production of teachers.
“In this period of economic crises, some students find it difficult to meet up with their financial obligations to the college, a development which causes distractions.
“I remember in my own days, every student studying education, irrespective of the course, tribe or otherwise, was entitled to bursary award; but it is no more.
“Instead, what we have now is bursary being awarded based on some criteria such as whether one is an indigene of this state or that.
“The Lagos State Government is trying for the college; but the government should look out for something that would motivate students and address the challenges confronting them,’’ Ajose said.
He said the inability of government to regularly fulfil its obligation was a challenge to the production of teachers.
“This act could be demoralising and can stifle the vibrancy expected in the dissemination of knowledge to the students,’’ he said.
Ajose also highlighted substandard infrastructure as a major challenge against the production of teachers in the country.
He said that substandard infrastructure could arise from lack of maintenance due to poor funding.
Mr Simeon Fowowe, Head of Department of the Early Child Education in the institution, urged government to live up to expectation by employing Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) graduates.
He said such qualified teachers were often left unemployed by the government, thus leaving them at the mercy of the private school owners.
“Twenty-five per cent are employed by private entrepreneurs who pay as low as N10,000, but could go as high as N40,000 in high brow areas like Ikeja and Lekki.
“The remaining 75 per cent are left discouraged,’’ he said.
Fowowe advised the government to introduce scholarship programme of up to three years for education students, to make the course attractive.
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“As long as students have chosen to study education as a first choice, they should be considered for such incentives and before you know it, would be less challenging,’’ the head of department said.
He also remarked that students’ reluctance to stay in the college of education was a major challenge because of their desire for a greener pasture.
“Students in their first year at the college still write the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to gain admission into the universities and Polytechnics because of their attractive courses.
“Whereas in the colleges, courses like Arts, Home Economics, Music, among others are offered, which makes it less attractive,’’ Fowowe said.
The lecturer, however, advised lecturers to keep abreast with the latest pedagogy and to deviate from artisan teaching, which discouraged participatory and active class.
“When you imbibe modern and active teaching and learning, students enjoy it and they appreciate it.
“Very soon in my college, lecturers’ promotion would be based on students’ performance and assessment,’’ Fowowe said. (NAN)