ZHUL-QI’DA 25, 1429 A.H.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2008
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NTI committed to upgrading unqualified teachers--DG
From MUSTAPHA SAYE, Kaduna
The Acting Director- General for the National Teachers Institute NTI, Malam Ismaila Yahaya Unwaha had said that his Institute is committed towards upgrading unqualified teachers in the school system, as well as improving the quality of teaching and learning in schools through the provision of continued teacher Professional Development
Malam Unwaha who disclosed this while receiving the Committee members of Education from National Assembly, led by Hon. Lawal Farouk at the conference hall of NTI, also disclosed that there is need for amending the law that establishes the Institute to trim down the composition of the governing council which currently stands at about 45.
Malam Unwaha said NTI has played a great role in providing courses, especially in upgrading and certification of teaching as a specified profession.
According to him, some of the initiatives of the institute include provision of quality basic education, noting that the federal government in 2006, introduced the annual re- training of primary school teacher, nation wides under the Millennium Development Goals Projects, which is funded from debt relief grant.
In his response, the chairman House Committee on Education, Hon. Lawal Farouk said the responsibility of his committee is enormous and challenging, realizing the importance attached to the educational sector.
He said a lot has to be done in the area of moving the educational sector forward, saying that in the entire three political zone over 50 per cent of their teachers are not qualified.
According to him, the best zone that has professional teachers is South- west with 70-75 per cent qualified teachers.
He maintained that his committee is seriously concerned on upgrading the educational standard in the country particularly of primary school teachers, noting that some of the major problems facing the educational sector is the recruitment of unqualified teachers by the local government chairmen on meagre salary.
He said this posed a great threat to the development of educational sector at local level.
Hon. Lawal Farouk commended the Director – General of the NTI for tacking frantic effort in reshaping and transforming the educational sector, particularly teachers’ education as well as initiating training and re- training of the Nigerian teachers.
