Train your teachers periodically, Prof. Aloy Ejiogu tells state govts

A don, Prof. Aloy Ejiogu, has advised state governments to prioritise training and retraining of teachers, for effective teaching and learning in public schools.

Ejiogu, who lectures at Department of Educational Management, University of Lagos gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

He said that regular training would motivate the teachers to give the best on the job.

According to him, training does not stop at any level, and as such, teachers must continue to update their knowledge on new teaching methodology.

He said that many state governments were not paying attention to the plight, welfare and demands of teachers.

“When government invests in teachers, they will be very committed to teaching passionately.

“We must train and retrain teachers on the job.

“Even me, as a professor, every year I go for conferences; I go on training; I go and listen to my colleagues outside this country.

“We exchange ideas and we learn from one another to become better on the job.

“Training does not stop at any level, even for vice-chancellors, they go out for training and workshops to update their knowledge,’’ he said.

Ejiogu, however, commended the Lagos State Government for its investment on training of its teachers.

According to him, the state is the only one in the country that trains teachers and does it religiously.

“Without being partisan, without being parochial, I am not a Lagosian and I am not a Yoruba; Lagos State has the best system of public education in Nigeria today.

“Lagos State pays great attention to the teachers they have; even their promotion exercise is well structured.

“These make the teachers to have a sense of belonging and  commitment.

“That is why their public education remains the best in the country.’’

The don, therefore, urged other state governments to emulate Lagos state to develop the education sector.

Reacting to the recent mass failure of some teachers during a competency test in Kaduna State, the don said the situation was sad and disappointing.

“Many of the teachers do not have the requisite qualification to teach. Somebody somewhere must have helped them get the job,” Ejiogu said.

He said governments must pay adequate attention to education by increasing the budgetary allocation to the sector, to avoid a situation like that of Kaduna state. (NAN)