...Inducts 1,089 teachers in NOCEN
From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) Prof. Josiah Olusegun Ajiboye has charged teachers to be innovative, creative, seek new approaches, provide new technology and walk the talk of professional creed and methodologies that will engage the students.
The Registrar urged the teachers to foster critical thinking and promoted lifelong learning, embrace the power of digital tools and adopt them to enhance their teaching but never forget connection that lies at the heart of education.
Prof. Ajiboye who gave the advice while inducting 1,089 new teachers at Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe (NOCEN), Anambra State said that the essence of the induction was in respect to the quality of teacher education programmes, professional conducts and overall status of teachers at all levels of the education system.
The Registrar who inducted the teachers during the 8th induction/Oath taking ceremony at NOCEN auditorium said that the induction presents an array of opportunities to the inductees to learn the rudiments of the profession and more importantly to re-tool and re-skill to meet the demand of 21st century teaching and learning processes.
Those inducted include graduands from Post Diploma in Education (PDE), Bachelors of Education (B.ED) and National Certificate for Education (NCE) graduands for the 8th TRCN induction of the College.
The Registrar who was represented by the Director, Regulations, Accreditation and Enforcement of the Council Dr. Okunola Abimbola said that teaching profession is more critical than any other profession in the world and this account for why in America, Finland and host of other countries, teaching is classified as very important profession for the best brains.
“Be mindful of the fact that as you embark on this noble career, always remember the impact you will have on the lives of your students. The smallest gesture of kindness, the encouragement you provide, or the belief you instill in a student’s potential can ignite a spark that last a lifetime.
“Of all the professions in the world, teaching is perhaps the noblest and the oldest. The profession can be aptly described as the mother of all professions. It is the teaching profession that made the emergence of all other professions possible. Therefore teaching should be accorded it’s rightful place of prominence through inculcation of best practices which this induction is meant to promote.
“I urge you to take this excerise with all seriousness it deserves. Oath taking is the most important legal basis for admission into a profession and a condition for a professional practice. Please note, that any breach of the law particularly on Oath, calls for sanction. Your passion for education, your commitment to make a difference, your unwavering dedication have brought you to this point. Embrace the challenges that lies ahead, be resilient in the face of adversity and do not lose sight of the immense privilege to be an educator” the Registrar admonished.
The Provost of NOCEN Dr. Ifeyinwa Osegbo urged the new teachers to be focused, dedicated to duties and to upholds the ethics of the profession, warning them not to compromise the standard of education.
Dr. Osegbo who was represented by the Director of Part-Time Programme NOCEN Dr. Ndu Azubuike commended TRCN for the roles being played in regulating, controlling and classifying membership of the teaching profession and pledge her support in churning out quality and qualify teachers.
He said that out of 1,448 students who wrote the professional qualification examination, 1,089 students were successful while 350 students failed, saying that those who failed have another opportunity to resit for the exam next year.
“In Nigeria today, there is much concern about the low quality of education. This is often attributed to low quality of teachers and it’s attendant poor quality service delivery. Considering the danger of this situation on the nation’s economic and social growth, many stakeholders in education have introduced several reformatory policies or transformation agenda. TRCN has gone ahead to insist that the professionals should defend their competence.
“The College school of Entrepreneurship and Digital Innovation (SEDI) is an initiative of our hard-work. The first registration for its first academic session has started. I therefore enjoin you to avail yourselves of this wonderful opportunity to build yourselves in line with the 21century innovative international teachers. Do ensure that you do not miss this great opportunity” she stated.
The Provost however commended the state governor Prof Chukwuma Soludo and his commissioner for education Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh for their support and encouragement in moving the college forward.
One of the inductees Obinauju Confidence Tagbo who spoke on behalf of others thanked the management and staff of the NOCEN for making them what they are today by imparting the knowledge in them to be teachers and commended the TRCN for accepting them to be professional teachers.
“We promised to be good ambassadors of the college. We shall make the institution, the stat and TRCN proud in the discharge of our duties. We shall bring our professional training to bear and try to raise the standard of education” she stated.
The event featured the administration of oath on the inductees by TRCN Council members, Chairman of the occasion Dr. Innocent Nwanekezi, Chairman TRCN Induction committee Dame Chika Osinomumu, Coordinator Anambra State of TRCN Lady Rosemary Chinelo Otikpa and NOCEN TRCN coordinator Mr. G. C Ilechukwu.