Nation
Stakeholders Proffer Solution To Shortage Of Primary, Post-Primary School Teachers
Some stakeholders in the education sector have suggested the re-introduction of teachers training colleges as part of measures to address the manpower gap primary and post-primary schools in the country.
Responding to newsmen yesterday, the stakeholders also called for massive recruitment of qualified teachers and provision of incentives for teachers serving in rural areas.
They also said the current security challenges in some parts of the country were discouraging teachers from accepting posting to rural areas.
Malam Ibrahim Aminu, an educationist in Kaduna, said providing incentives to teachers serving in rural areas would encourage young people to accept posting to high risk areas, thereby bridging the manpower gap.
He said the level of insecurity, especially in the northeast and northwestern parts of the country, had create a huge gap in manpower needs in schools in those areas..
He said many primary and secondary schools across Local Government Areas in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Borno among others states affected by insecurity were facing the challenge of dearth of quality teachers.
He also said that dearth of funds was another factor and suggested the adequate funding of the education sector.
“In 2021, a lot of teachers, especially in north western parts of the country, were recruited, in a bid to bridge the manpower gap, but as I speak to you now, they are yet to be posted to schools due to dearth of funds.
“Again, welfare of teachers is not encouraging. That is why a lot of primary school teachers keep switching to other careers at the slightest opportunity,” he said.
According to him, another factor that stagnates the progress of primary and post-primary education in the country is inadequate training needed to enhance efficiency and career progression.
“Talking about gap in manpower, we are also talking of the enabling environment and training that will enable manpower progression, with a view to bridging existing gaps,” Aminu said.
On his part, Mr Musa Dona, a secondary school teacher in Kaduna, said one way of bridging the manpower gap in primary and post-secondary schools is for the government at all levels to engage in massive recruitment of qualified teachers.
“When you survey our government schools, you will discover that they are always under-staffed.
“There are a lot of instances where one teacher is teaching three or more subjects in different classes in a particular public school,” he said.
Similarly, Kano State Government said it had recalled 6,995 of its teachers posted to private and community schools, as part of efforts to address the manpower shortage in public schools in the state.
The State Commissioner for Education, Mr Sanusi Sa’idu-Kiru, told The Tide source that the teachers, who were on government payroll, were posted to such schools to help meting their teaching needs.
The Alliance Française Port Harcourt in conjunction with the Embassy of France Nigeria over the weekend joined the globe to campaign against the 2025 gender- based violence (GBV) with the theme: “16 Days of Activism Against Gender- Based Voice”
The event which took place at the event Hall of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt was in collaboration with the Female in Gaming Network, ( FIGN) and partnership with Nexal a body that seeks to promote online safety and responsible digital behaviour.
The Tide reports that the project which was aimed at promoting digital safety and girls inclusion in Gaming, with the initiative tagged ‘Gameover Gender- Base Violence’was part of the global campaign against gender- based Violence.
The activity which experienced a flavour of festivity was full of fun and excitements as participants took part in tournaments on popular digital games such as Mario kart and EAFC 25, with an intent to creating safer and more inclusive digital spaces.
The Director of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs Marina Lacal said that these activities were designed to encourage inclusion of girls, team work and fair play on online gaming spaces, saying that the gaming world reflects these inequalities, where female players are often under represented.
According to her the main objectives of the initiative was to provide a supportive environment for girls and female in gaming network.
“GameOverGBV” is a project created to reshape this landscape by offering an innovative inclusiveness of girls on online digital Gaming community and digital environments that provide opportunities for creativity, learning and connection, but also fight against Gender-Based Violence Digital Gaming,”she said
She however, explained that the Digital Game, sport competitions, was launched to strengthen social and digital skills through games, workshops, and raise awareness among all young participants about respect, equality and digital citizenship.
The Tide News reports that in Port Harcourt, the competition brought together 100 young participants from three major universities: University of Port Harcourt, ( UNIPORT),Ignatius Ajuru University of Education(IAUE) and Rivers State University (RSU)as well as students from four selected secondary schools, Oginigba comprehensive Secondary.School, Vine lnternational, Virgo predicanda lnternational, and Excellent Montessori Secondary school.
“This is an approach where girls and boys can learn, play and collaborate in a more respectful and safe space for young women, while ensuring a safe, enjoyable and respectful digital environment. It also expose young women to cyberbullying, exclusion, sexist comments and online hate,” Mrs. Lacal said.
Earlier, a game developer Sophia Nei and her. team had engaged participants in an interactive session with the theme: “Can Video Games Be Safe Spaces For Girls?”
However, Mrs Nei and her team educated the girls on the benefits and violence on online digital gaming and urged them ( participants)to learn to say ‘No’ to Online hate, sexist and cyber bullying, while encouraging them(students) to stand up for themselves by reporting such issues to the appropriate authority.
Highlight of the competition was the awarding of prizes to winners by the Director of Alliance Française, Mrs Marina Lacal.
