Qualified teachers critical to realising gains of improved curricula, says Omosowon

With the introduction of a wide array of contemporary subjects and enriching programmes like financial literacy, entrepreneurship, music and trade subjects into schools’ curricula, highly qualified teachers are key in realising the benefits inherent in this initiative.

Chairman, Board of Trustees, Pacific Comprehensive Schools, Remi Omosowon, while speaking at the 15th valedictory service/prize-giving day of the school, maintained that no matter how rich a school’s curriculum might be, it requires the efforts of a good teacher to effectively convey the import to students. Therefore, teachers must be rightly positioned to execute their duties.

He explained that positioning teachers rightly entails adequate remunerations; provision of incentives; training/retraining, and exposure to global best practices, among others.

“Curricula reviews have seen schools introduce more enriching programmes like financial literacy, entrepreneurship, music and trade subjects. What is now needed is for government to pay adequate attention to teachers’ welfare so that they would be motivated to carry out their obligations. They also need to urgently employ more qualified teachers to take care of our swarms of students,” he stated.

Principal of the school, Andrew Mekwunye, stated that a good secondary school education is crucial in the attainment of academic success by any individual, since it is at this level that students gain basic knowledge that are prerequisite for higher academic pursuits.

In his speech titled, “The Future Belongs to Those Who Are Good at What They Do,” Mekwunye reminded the outgoing students that the school has afforded them good secondary education, as evidenced in its excellent academic records in both internal and external examinations.

He therefore, wants them to use that as a springboard for their take-off into higher successes.

He said, “The future belongs to the people with the critical knowledge of how to get results and those who are adding to their knowledge base every day. So do not relent, continue to pursue knowledge that will be helpful in the future. Wealth is no longer a contest between those who have more and those who have less. It is a stiff competition between those who know more and those who know less. Remember, good reading habit is the key to expanding knowledge.”