There’s value in teaching profession  – Acting Education Secretary, Chikun Council

0
180
By: Mayen Etim

KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – To raise the dignity of the teaching profession through digital technology in Kaduna State, the Uncle Focus Educational Consult and General Contract Limited, has organized a one-day conference for teachers in Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) to help build their capacity.

Speaking at the conference on Friday in Kaduna, Acting Education Secretary, Chikun LGA, Mrs. Sarah Ninyio, said she seized the opportunity when the organization approached her office with it’s proposal because of the subject matter that deals with upgrading the dignity of teachers which is a two phase affair.
According to her, there is value in the teaching profession, hence the teachers were brought to the conference so that they could add value to the profession. “The teacher has to know the roles he need to play in promoting his dignity.

“We brought them here so that they could add value to this profession, so that anywhere they are or what they do will portray exactly what the government, community and the learners is expected of them.

“This conference came at the right time, hence we agreed and liaised with the local government and other stakeholders to ensure that our teachers are trained. We expected 1,500 to 2,000 teachers, but due to the crisis of cash issue we are unable to have all of them,” she said.
The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Chairman in Chikun LGA, Comrade Silas Hassan, who commended organizers of the conference, said the event is educative and believed it is going to add value, dignity and respect to the participants, as well as go a long way to enlighten, update so many things they ought to know.
While noting that teachers in Kaduna State over the years have gotten the required support in terms of training and encouragement to improve themselves on the job, he however said the percentage was very low because the impacts of the activities were not effective.
A cross section of participants at the conference.
He lamented that there were incentives and other benefits like leave grants teachers in the state used to enjoy, but for years were no longer enjoying them.
“In terms of salary, the State Government is trying in this regard, but there are teachers in the state that have not been paid, and the Union has been pressing on to ensure they are paid, but up till date especially in Chikun LGA there are quite a number of them who have not been paid for several months,” he said.
In his presentation titled: “How to Leverage on Technology to make Teaching and Learning easy and Effective” a lecturer with the Federal University, Dutsin-ma, Katsina State, Mr. Stephen Luka, defined Technology-based Learning (TBL) as a method that constitutes learning via electronic technology, including internet, intranet, audio/video conferencing, bulletin boards, chatrooms among others.
According to him, we are living in a fast-changing world, where information is needed to stay relevant in any field, pointing out that the teaching profession can not be an exception, hence the methods of disseminating knowledge to learners cannot remain constant.
The don further said TBL is a learning methodology that has come to ease off both learning and teaching methods to both learners and teachers.
“With its ever user-friendly nature, it would spell a paradigm shift from traditional teaching process to an effective system of both time utilization and easy-learning models,” he added.
Lead Consultant and Co-founder Uncle Focus Educational Consult and General Contract Limited, Mr. Zinnet Hilary, said the organization has the vision of not only making education in Kaduna State, Nigeria more efficient but the world at large.
He opined that education on its own is efficient so the organization intend to add innovations to education to support schools, individuals, Government, institutions, school proprietors,  teachers and learners to make it more efficient and better.
Lead Consultant and Co-founder Uncle Focus Educational Consult and General Contract Limited, Mr. Zinnet Hilary, addressing participants.
According to him, the conference was inspired by the various engagements the organization had with 1500 teachers in 2022 cut across public and private schools in Kaduna and outside the state. “We realized that there is a uniformity in their cries as teachers. This all boiled down to how their dignity as teachers have been trampled upon.”
“Lots of Nigerian teachers are left behind in the aspect of technology. So we are here to sensitize and give them this information. The world has left Nigeria behind in education when it comes to technology. This conference is also bringing the teachers into the consciousness that they need to meet up with the rest of the world in the place of technology in education,” he said.
Participants at the conference tagged: “Dignity of a Teacher 2023” were drawn from public and private schools in Chikun Council.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here