The Registrar/Chief Executive of Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Professor Segun Ajiboye has said that the teaching profession would witness a total revolution after Covid-19 pandemic is over urging the Faculties of Education and Colleges of Education to review their curricula to include technology driven training and preparations.
He noted that Covid-19 has thrown up a challenge for a paradigm shift in the way teachers are trained and the way learning is executed in Nigeria.
Ajiboye, who stated this on a Radio Program in Ibadan noted that the advanced countries are able to continue teaching and learning through the deployment of technology which is still yet to be engaged fully in Nigeria.
According to him, the post-Covid 19 reality is that Nigeria must invest in technology to drive her education system adding that the world would not wait for Nigeria to catch up with it.
While noting that TRCN already started digital literacy for teachers in 2018, Ajiboye stated that a proposal is already before the Federal Ministry of Education to scale up beneficiaries of the training across the country.
He added that in years to come, teachers who are able to use technology will displace those unable to use technology in facilitating learning.
While acknowledging the need to increase Education budget, Ajiboye maintained that professional teachers must be ready for the task ahead.
“One thing is that Covid-19 is a big challenge to education globally affecting about 1.7million in about 152countries. Africa has a big problem. Some developed countries have been able to mitigate the impact through internet. In Nigeria, we are not there yet. This has compounded our out of school problems. Even, tertiary education is not excluded. Both teachers and students are at home in Nigeria.
“It is a challenging time for teaching profession but also it is an eye opener. The kind of the training we give to our teachers needs to be reviewed. We need technology mediated learning. The world will not wait for Nigeria. Their calendar is running but we are on long vacation here. After this COVID-19 experience, there will be revolution in the way we prepare and train our teachers. How do we leverage on technology….teachers who know how to use technology will replace those unable to use it.
“In 2018, TRCN did digital literacy Education in Nigeria but those covered are small. We have submitted a proposal to the Ministry of education to scale it up. We need technology to democratise learning. It caught us unawares and I think it calls for a sober reflection to look for ways ahead. It’s a big reflection”, he said.
