World Teachers Day 2023: Ekiti Principals, Tutor Generals Want Government To Employ More Teachers

.. Advocates Measures To Reverse Teachers Shortage

By Emmanuel Adeoye 

The Confederation of Principals of. Secondary Schools and Tutors Generals in Ekiti State has demanded for the employment of more qualified teachers by the State Government to reverse teachers shortage. They also advocates measures to adopt to reverse teachers shortages in Schools across the State.

Reading the joint paper presented by the Principals and Tutor Generals during the 2023 World Teachers Day held at the New Iyin Pavillon in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, the past State President of the Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools and the current Tutor General for the Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Mr. Victor Amele tasked the government on the need to adopt the content of their paper as a guide in ensuring there is an end to the shortage of teachers in the State. 

The Principals and the Tutor Generals in their joint paper, identified the global imperatives needed to reverse the trend of shortages of teachers to includes the digitalization of education, increase in the investments on teacher education and training, improving the working conditions and support for teachers, promoting alternative pathways to teaching, encouraging teacher’s mobility and creating a positive image for teaching. 

They called on the government, educational institutions and the communities in general to urgently attend to the pressing issues of shortages of qualified teachers and put an end to the challenges affecting the quality of education and the future of the school children. 

They described Teacher shortage as a harsh reality and a worldwide phenomenon.

Focusing on the theme for the World Teachers Day 2023, titled: “The Teachers We Need For The Education We Want”, the Principals and Tutor Generals, recommended for the government the qualities they must look out for, before engaging competent teachers that will help in moulding the future of the school children. 

They pointed out the need for government at all levels to engage teachers who possesses pedagogical skills, subject expertise as well as the passion to engage and inspire students.

They described a teacher as a compendium of knowledge who earns his or her living by spreading knowledge. They added that a teacher can also be described as a role player, counsellor, mentor, role model and an instructor.

They revealed that the kind of teachers required as catalysts of dynamic capital development in a society includes a teacher who is enthusiastic and passionate about his or her profession, a teacher whose goal is to be fulfilled in the teaching profession, a teacher who is willing to teach without been forced or coarsed, a teacher who is committed to the teaching profession without focusing on gains, teachers must be those people with integrity as well as those who are vast Technologically, creative and innovative. 

They however commended the giant strides of the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji for making efforts to provide the education they want and reversing the shortages of teachers in the State by his recent recruitment of 1,500 primary school teachers as well as 500 secondary school teachers.