Jos – Prof. Hayward Mafuyai, Vice Chancellor, University of Jos, has advised lecturers in universities to acquire teaching qualification to become professionals able to impart sound knowledge on students.
Mafuyai gave the advice at the Induction of 500 Graduates of the institution as teachers by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) in Jos on Tuesday.
The vice chancellor stressed that some lecturers who teach in the universities were not professional teachers.
“Most of them don’t have teaching qualifications because the fields they graduate from do not teach them rudiments on how to impart knowledge the way professional teachers would do.’’
He stated that teachers had important roles to play to adequately prepare learners for their roles in the society and for achieving objectives of national development.
According to him, teachers influence every aspect of the society as all other professionals and workers have at one point or the other passed through the tutelage of their teachers.
Prof. Addison Wokocha, Registrar/Chief Executive, TRCN, said it had developed Professional Diploma in Education and Post-Doctoral Diploma in Education in a bid to expand access to teacher education.
Wokocha was represented by Mr Ibrahim Roni, TRCN Acting Director of Operations.
He explained that the programmes were the same in content and quality as the Post-Graduate Diploma in Education except that the entry qualification was a Ph. D degree.
According to the registrar, teachers who do not have teaching qualifications should avail themselves of the opportunity provided by the programmes.
He noted that the induction of the teachers at the point of graduation promises to improve the quality and status of teachers and teaching.
“Through induction, teaching captures new entrants just before they leave their institutions.
“This early capture creates professional consciousness that would guide inductees throughout their career life.’’
He contended that induction helped to eliminate certificate forgery plaguing teaching, as “the council receives the record of education graduates directly from the universities and colleges of education.’’
Wakocha declared that Nigeria needed vibrant and peaceful teachers who would meet the expectations of the nation and help it to raise a prosperous generation.
He said quality education cannot be achieved without competent teachers and education administrators, well equipped with the desirable knowledge, skills and effective operational system.
Prof. Cletus Gotan, Dean, Faculty of Education, said the university would equip the inductees with the latest contents that meet general and specialist pedagogical requirements for professional registration and induction.
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Gotan congratulated the inductees and their parents for the feat attained in a profession he described as golden, and advised them to be role models as they impart knowledge to others.
Professor of Sociology of Education and Head of Department of Educational Foundation, UniJos, Mathew Sule, presented a paper entitled: Education: A Tool for National Development. (NAN)
VC advises lecturers to acquire teaching qualification
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