Di federal government don decide to waive admission requirements for Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programme, but education stakeholders dey argue say di policy no go solve di real problem.
According to Stanley Alaubi, senior lecturer at University of Port Harcourt, di reason Nigeria dey suffer teacher quality crisis no be because NCE students dey write UTME. “Let di government improve di welfare package of teachers and see how thousands, if not millions, would troop into di teaching industry,” e tok.
Nigeria get about 492,912 teachers wey no get proper credentials across di country. For North West, 95,833 teachers no get qualification; North Central get 81,636; South South get 72,728; North East get 53,938; and South East get 47,953.
Tunji Alausa, di minister of education, no explain how di waiver go boost teacher quality and career attraction. Many trained teachers dey jump ship to other professions wey get better prospects.
Stanley Boroh, associate professor at Federal University, Otuoke, stress say di teacher quality gap no get anything to do with admission waivers. “Di federal government dey mop di floor but no dey fix di leaking roof. Di condition of service for teachers dey very poor, and dat’s wetin dem should address to make am competitive and attract di best brains,” e yarn.
Jessica Osuere, CEO at RubiesHub Educational Service, tok say increasing teacher enrolment alone no go solve Nigeria’s teacher quality crisis. “Di real issue no be admission into NCE programmes but di attractiveness of di teaching profession itself. Is teaching in Nigeria attractive? Certainly, NO. Even though waiving UTME fit increase di number of entrants, dat no go guarantee quality, and quantity should never be mistaken for quality,” she stress.
Osuere maintain say countries like Finland make teaching highly competitive, well-respected, and adequately rewarded. “Many Nigerians no dey avoid teaching because of admission challenges; dem dey discouraged by poor remuneration, limited career progression, inadequate working conditions, and low societal esteem for di profession. If di government truly want address di teacher quality gap, e should focus on making teaching more attractive, professionally rewarding, and competitive enough to retain highly capable individuals. Quality teachers, not just more teachers, na wetin Nigeria urgently need,” she emphasise.
Mercy Nnokam, a teacher, tok say many teachers no fit cope with dia salaries because of rising cost of living. “A lot of teachers find di work stressful because dem no get adequate resources to deliver subject content. Many parents dey encourage dia children against teaching due to poor working conditions, hence di reason for low applications into education faculty,” she yarn.
Elizabeth Ohaka, proprietress of Redwood Academy, say di teaching profession no dey attractive, and dat’s why Nigeria dey face teacher quality crisis. “Our youths prefer signing up for remote jobs, even teaching online, to an 8-5 in a school with all di attendant stressors. I think waiving UTME for NCE na surface-level solution. When dese students complete dia programmes, dem still fit no pursue teaching career if conditions of service continue to be unfavourable,” she conclude.
