Gbenro Adesina
The Registrar and Chief Executive, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Professor Segun Ajiboye on Thursday February 18, 2021, opined that the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), should make admission into Colleges and Faculties of Education stricter in order to guarantee that only best brains would be in the teaching profession.
Ajiboye said this while presenting the 488th inaugural lecture of the University of Ibadan entitled “Teaching: In the Classroom as a Regulator”, stressing that lowering the cut-off marks for education courses would attract mediocre into the teaching profession.
Ajiboye, a Professor of Social Studies, Civic and Environmental Studies at the University of Ibadan stated that cut-off marks to education related courses should rank among the highest.
He said, “Admission into Colleges of Education and Faculties of Education in Nigeria should be stricter. The current practice is dangerous for the future of our education. Those who want to teach our children should be the best in our society and not the dregs. The UTME cut-off marks into colleges of Education and Faculties of Education, if possible, should rank among the highest. The hydra-headed crisis of quality and quantity of teachers demands a strong policy response. Rebuilding the system should take into account how the once cherished vocation, the mother of all professions should attract the best brains and retain them”.
According to Professor Ajiboye, Nigeria needs to urgently review her teacher education policy and programmes in order to produce 21st Century teachers.
Ajiboye stated that teacher training, welfare and an environment that promotes learning must be pursued and provided for best learning outcomes.
The TRCN boss stated that Covid-19 has challenged Nigeria’s education system, adding that it was important that teacher education programme be reviewed to meet modern day challenges of globalization and post-Covid era.
