The absence of a chartered institute to regulate the teaching profession has been identified as a major cause of the rot in the profession in the country. Mr Victor Ajulo, an education consultant and chief Executive Officer of Michelle and Anthony consulting, who made this known, stated that this had retarded the growth of the profession compared with similar professions like accounting, architecture, medicine and others which are well regarded.
Ajulo reasoned that until the issue is addressed, teaching as a profession will continue to wink in the dark in Nigeria. He challenged teachers to immediately approach the National assembly with a view to having a law for the establishment of a chartered institute to regulate the practice of the profession in the country.
“Teachers as professionals need to stand up to be counted like other professionals in ICAN, ANAN, NMA etc. by approaching the National Assembly to set the machinery in motion for the practice of teaching professional.
“If they can, and their professional members can, there will be dignity, there will be honour for the teaching profession. Government’s idea of giving incentives to undergraduates studying education in colleges and universities will not work because there is no future for the profession today. Only an institute that can set standards can address such because it will look into everything connected with the profession, including remuneration. You will see that people will move from public service to the private sector the moment they see quality,” Ajulo noted. The education consultant who pioneered overseas education consultancy in the country maintained that Nigeria needed to amend its laws to benefit rom foreign education. According to him, despite Nigeria’s potentials, cumbersome processes of collaboration were frustrating educational partnerships.
“If Nigeria amends its laws, lots of foreign universities with partner with our local schools people will take lectures online. Ghana has a lot of foreign universities partnerships because they allow online programmes and Nigerians are the ones feeding the market.”