A Professor of Educational Management at the Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Prof. A.Y. Abdulkareem, has appealed to Nigerians to stop downplaying the contributions of teachers to national development, pointing out that teaching is not a second-rate profession.
Prof. Abdulkareeem said this while delivering the Keynote address at a two-day workshop organised by the Parent Teacher Association (P.T.A.) of the University School for its teaching staff .
The don noted that teachers are total image makers and advised them to always cooperate with the school authorities to sustain their role as instruments of positive change in the society.
Prof. Abdulkareem said that the success or failure of the education process largely depends on the quality and calibre of the teachers who, according to him, are the interpreters and transmitters of desirable attitudes, skills, knowledge and societal values.
The educationist noted that parents also have a lot to do, saying that the home is the first school of every child. He lamented that the idea of a school being a mere dumping ground of pesky and troublesome toddlers (Jeleosinmi) is no longer restricted to the kindergarten level and many parents want their children at the University just to transfer the burden of care for their children to the University management.
In his remarks at the event, the Chairman of the workshop and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Prof. R.A. Lawal, commended the initiative of the P.T.A., describing it as a noble event which should be held annually.
Prof. Lawal, who is also the Chairman of the School’s Governing Board, advised that future workshops should shift from the theoretical to practical and participatory orientation, in order to achieve meaningful impacts.
The Chairman also charged the teachers to keep abreast of the latest developments in their areas of specialisation, saying that yesterday's tools cannot be used to address today's challenges.
Prof. Lawal counselled the teachers against writing-off any student but emphasised the need for schools not to focus on the cognitive ability of students but to also cater for students whose interest should be looked after in the development of their psychomotor and affective domains.
In his opening remarks, the PTA Chairman, Dr. A. O. Oniye, who was represented by Mr. L. E. Afolabi, encouraged the teachers to give the workshop all their attention.
Dr. Oniye disclosed that the PTA was desirous of collaborating with other stakeholders to put up an ICT facility in the school.
In her goodwill message, the Director, Centre for Research Development and In-House Training (CREDIT), Prof. A. T. Oladiji, assured participants at the workshop that her Unit would do a follow-up exercise to determine the impact of the workshop.
The resource persons who took the participants through the workshop are Dr. Abdulraheem Yusuf of the Department of Arts and Social Science Education whose presentation was on “Lesson Presentation and Delivery in Basic Schools”; Dr. (Mrs.) F.A. Okesina of the Department of Counsellor Education who discussed “Counselling at Basic Education level”; Dr. Bisi Onasanya of the Department of Educational Technology, who discussed “Preparation and Usage of Instructional Materials at Basic Education Level” and Dr. (Mrs.) O.O. Ogunlade of the Department of Science Education, whose presentation centred on “Teaching Methodology at Basic Education level”.
The Headmistress of the school, Mrs. N. A. Lawal, expressed appreciation to the University management for its support towards the success of the workshop
The workshop, which was anchored by the immediate past Chairman of the PTA, Mr. Festus Ogunyinka and Dr. (Mrs.) K. A. Yahaya, was also attended by some members of the Executive Committee of the University school P.T.A.
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