‘Teachers’ welfare critical to growth of knowledge system’

The Pro-chancellor of Crawford University, Prof. Peter Okebukola, has said the education system of Nigeria would remain undeveloped if it sidelines quality and well-motivated teachers.

The Chairman of Council of the school who described teachers as the ‘salt or seasoning’ of the education said they are the “master key’ which opens the intricate door to quality education in the country.

Prof. Okebukola, who disclosed this at the ninth Convocation Ceremony of the Institution bemoaned the salaries received by teachers, saying the success stories of the education system, which the country aspires to emulate, is the story of quality of training and welfare of its teacher.

According to him, findings from a global study survey of successful education system carried out by the Institution’s council showed that engaging quality teachers and providing good welfare scheme for them would solve more than half of the problems facing the country’s education system.

“A few days ago I did a check of how much a graduate teacher earns per month in some of our private secondary schools and I was alarmed to hear such figures as N20, 000 and N15, 000. I checked from some officials of the Teachers Union and found that not less than 16 of the 36 states and the FCT are owing teachers at least four months’ salary and Christmas is approaching.

Okebukola also bemoaned the number of applicants for the courses in the faculty of education, which he said has affected the level of education.

He, however, called for a complete revamp of the curriculum of all teachers training institutions, colleges, adding that there should be a reduction in the number of education courses and huge increase in the courses for the teaching subjects, just as he called for the recruitment of properly trained and certified teachers holding the TRCN registration.

Also speaking, the Proprietor/ Chancellor of Crawford University, Dr. Emmanuel Adeniran stressed on the level of corruption in governance, which he said has created a critical gap in the education system

“Why will a Nigerian official block substantial development aid fund to the country because nothing personal is added by donor agencies by way of personal gratification, why is the coefficient of corruption of most Nigerian officials so high, this speaks od a big fault and gap in the education system,” he said.