Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS, Taraba State Chapter, Comrade Prince Sule Abasu, has appreciated the state Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas for doling out running cost to schools in the state.
Abasu stated this during this year’s World Teachers Day celebration held at the Theater Art Hall, Taraba State University, Jalingo.
“For the first time in decades or generation, a sitting governor doles out running cost to schools. This shows his commitment to the development of education in our dear state.
“Let me also pay special respect to the Governor, who discover that for a sustainable development of an enduring legacy, attention must be given to education to ensure that every citizen gain access to quality Education.
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He thanked the governor for the payment of WAEC, NECO and NABTEB for students in the state.
“You practically remove the burden of tuition fees from the shoulders of most parents who hardly would have sent their wards to aquire any form of education without having to bear the brunt. As a result of your magnanimity, many out of school children are back to the classroom.
“As far as we are concern, this kind gesture is more than infrastructural development even though it is still needed in the society.
“While we appreciate your giant stride in developing our state, we will like to plead for more attention in the areas of, Teacher’s Recruitment, Training and Retraining and Provision of infrastructure in our various schools.
“These are drivers of the free education policy. There is need for training and retraining of teachers in modern pedagogies for better performance and our schools are in dire need of infrastructural upgrade for optimum results,” he said.
In his Paper presentation, the Guest Speaker, Assoc. Prof. Rimamsikwe Habila Kitause Department of Christian Religious Studies, Taraba State University, Jalingo, describe the Theme for the 2024 World Teachers Day: “VALUING TEACHER’S VOICES: TOWARDS A NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT EDUCATION’’ as timely.
“We are here to celebrate teachers’ success story and transformative roles as well as rethinking how best to forge ahead in deploying our talents and gifts as we discharge our duties.
“As a teacher myself, I found this topic very interesting and captivating.
“The time is long overdue for teachers’ voices to be heard by those that matter in the society; not only in Nigeria but the world over.
“Teachers ever remain the fulcrum of the Nigerian thriving education industry. Without the teachers, both education and other sectors in Nigeria would have wobbled and crumbled long ago.
“This implies that teachers are nation builders and are equally character molders; whose contagious influence extents to all other sectors in this great nation,” he said
According to him, the continuity and survival of this nation lies in the hands of teachers.
“You would all agree with this paper that anywhere teachers are neglected or pushed to the background; the repercussion remains stagnation or retrogression in terms of development of any kind.
He pointed out that the sustainability of any nation is dependent upon how best teachers put in their utmost efforts in sustaining it.
“What make teachers so unique in any country of the world are their “Voices” as well as their services.
“Teachers’ voices are the singular reason that distinguish them and made them to stand much taller than any other people in other professions.
“Teachers’ voices are powerful weapons and instruments which must not be undermined by all levels of our government for whatever reasons.
“This is why valuing teachers’ voices is not just a matter of choice but a must if this country is to make headways in overcoming the present quagmire.
He disclosed that Teachers’ voices represent their collective opinion in decision making about their well being or welfare.
“It represents their position in matter of policy making and governance in a nation. Similarly, it is opined that teachers’ voices connote something collaborative in nature whereby teachers are intentionally invited by stakeholders to take active part in decision making in areas that will directly impact on the teachers by seeking their input and feedback.
“On the other hand, teachers’ voices as they relate to their practice and service delivery signify acts of communication and impartation of knowledge to their teeming students. Teachers’ voices are weapon for advocacy.
“This means that teachers have the gift of voice. As intellectuals, if our voices are to be properly harnessed, teachers can control the bulk of a nation’s population.
“The youths belong to the teachers. All student categories – young or aged belong to the teachers. These populations are the ones being used as Adhoc staff during elections and population census among others.
“These youth population who are students believed in their teachers more than they believed in their parents, guardians, leaders or organizations.
He said that the population teachers control in a nation represents their collective voice and strength.
“So teachers’ voices are forces to be reckoned with which transform and recreate.
“When a teacher says good morning class, he receives immediate thunderous positive responses and all eyes will be on him, waiting for the next command. Is that not wonderful? All that teachers need to do in any nation of the world is how to organize their voices and speak as one undivided entity.
“Teachers are saddled with the responsibility of promoting the opportunities offered by education and growth to their students.
“None of us would have gotten the opportunities to attain our present social status without teachers.
“Perhaps, none of us would have been able to step out of our villages, local government areas, states, country, and continent if teachers were not readily available to afford us the opportunity to acquire knowledge that has catapulted us to our present social standing in the society.
That you are thriving in your present profession and making headways is due to the handiwork of teachers.
Similarly, teachers represent learners’ rights and interests. So, in their work, the teachers teach learners to become responsible members of a democratic society.
“The teachers produce politicians, presidents, senators, governors, bankers, entrepreneurs, engineers, pastors, and other echelons of the society through their voices.
“No doubt, teachers’ voices in Nigeria worth a penny much more than any other voices.
“Teachers’ voices are vehicle that transmits powerful knowledge from the teacher to the pupil. It is a potent tool that helps a teacher to manage behaviour within a classroom.
“Teachers are professional speakers whose voices have the power and the potential to liberate the unlearned from the shackles of ignorant and poverty.
The Guest Speaker summarized that teachers’ voices are motivational, transformational, intelligible, accessible and assertive.
“Teachers’ voices affect learning positively since the teachers’ vocal expressions can help the learner to identify the main points in speech. For this singular act, teachers are entitled to be treated fairly in their work.
“Teachers are valuable and should be honored in every sense of the word. I have passed through teachers, still passing through teachers and also look forward to teaching in the classroom sometimes soon.” Hence, teachers should be valued above all other workforce in order to develop a new social contract for Nigeria,” he said.