8th October, 2019
By Taiwo Okanlawon
As the world marks the World Teachers’ Day themed “Young Teachers: The future of the Profession”, Youth Orientation Development has called on the Federal Government to approve a special salary structure for teachers so as to retain young teachers and attract passionate new minds for the profession.
As part of the activities lined up for the events in conjunction with the Faculty of Education, Lagos State University, YOD also honored teachers, schools and organizations with awards to encourage them on the work done over the years.
The managing director of University Press Plc, Kolawole Samson, who was represented by the company’s executive director, Folakemi Bademosi urged the Federal Government to make special remunerations and other necessary efforts to appreciate the teachers and motivate them to strive towards optimum performance and productivity and as well as attracting new minds to take up the profession.
“Teaching profession is a very noble one and you will all agree that teachers are not respected and not been treated well and that is why no younger person no matter the passion, they don’t want to go into the profession.”
“The government needs to do what will attract them into the profession because the old ones are retiring, some are dying and they need to be replaced. So definitely we will need young ones to take up the new challenge and that is why we are calling on the government to make the teacher’s remuneration special. Teachers should be paid specially.”
“In advance countries, we have teachers earning more than professors because of the noble work they do, so in Nigeria we can start somewhere as well. Second, let’s respect the profession, it is when the profession is been respected that the younger ones can be attracted. Today everyone wants to become doctor, lawyer or engineer, why? Because they feel there is money there. That should change, the government should make the teaching profession attractive.”
Bademosi also blamed unproductive results from various schools on unqualified teachers who take up the profession to make money or as a stepping stones, adding that government should identify passionate teachers from those that want to be in the profession for salary sake.
“Some of them are not dedicated, they do not have any passion for it and because of that, there is little they can do to impact knowledge. They are not ready for the job and not qualified for the job. Teachers should be trained and those that have passions for it should be identified.
One of the keynote speakers at the event, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, Lagos State University, Professor A.O.K Noah while analyzing ways to retain young and new teachers in the profession, said the government must provide functional education system to meet the 21st century challenges.
Subsequently, Noah added that they must be well paid to attract the best minds.
“We live in a digital world now, the internet ensures that some students know more than their teachers in particular topics and children of today can stand up as challengers all because they have gone online, they have acquired information online.”
“Globalization challenges all of us as teachers, we must be critical so other will have something to say. School managers and administrators will make school uniform online from China and get it delivered at the allocated time while they pay their teacher peanuts as salaries.”
“There are also teachers who are engaged to come and work and they will go and take the note they were given 10 years ago.”
“There are challenges that are surmountable and how do will overcome this challenges. It is a matter of dedication. Our children are living in a world different from ours. The world is a changed place now. As we celebrate today, let us know that there are challenges.”
“I congratulate all the students in this hall, it is your right to know more than what the teacher want to teach you but also make sure that when you become teacher if you become teacher, you will teach your children at the pace that our own generation have stopped.”
One of the student representatives, a student of Ilogbo Elegba Grammar School, said respect and special recognition will retain young and new teachers in the profession as teachers are seen as life molder of the society.
He further noted said the government should ensure that the learning environment is conducive enough for teachers and this will attract new minds to the profession.
Speaking with journalists after the event, the President of Youth Orientation Development, Ambassador Emmanuel Ejiogu said that teachers’ day celebration is a way applauding and appreciation the contributions of teachers in shaping the society.
In his words, “All these are put together to see a way of paying back even by this made professionals to appreciate the teachers that made them, to appreciate them for what God use them for in their lives.”
“The other way is to remind the ministry of education about UNESCO’s budget for education, we are too below in Nigeria. So part of the budget too should be used to pay teachers well. All these we are try to do through our advocacy to make sure these teachers are well remunerated.”
Stating the organization’s demand from the federal government, Ejiogu appealed that education should be well funded.
“If education is well funded, the teachers will be well paid. If education is well funded, we would have an attractive study environment and that will attract new minds to the teaching profession,” he added.
Ejiogu also stressed that education is what we need to change the world, he, therefore, urged parents and guardians to imbibe the culture of ensuring that their children are encouraged to take their academic serious.