Nation
Prioritise Teachers’ Welfare For Soci-Economic Dev -Educationist
A senior lecturer with TCNN College of Education, Bukuru, near Jos, Pastor Hankuri Gaya, has urged governments at all levels to prioritise teachers’ welfare to fast-track Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
Gaya, who stated this at the closing of the one-week Bukuru Teachers Summit 2023, held in Bukuru, said teachers were the key to any country’s development.
According to the educationist, if every country goes the way of its teachers, and they are well equipped to practice their profession, such a country will have a direction.
He also said education was no doubt the key to success in the life of every individual, especially if teachers made lasting impact in the lives of those they were given the responsibility of impacting knowledge.
He said sadly, however, teachers were not valued in Nigeria, considering their poor remuneration and welfare.
“If teachers are not valued, there will be no values in our society, hence the moral decadence that we witness today in this country.
“There is a popular saying that a gun can kill terrorists, but only education can kill terrorism.
“So, if you value teachers, you will pay them well, you will respect them, you will give them good accommodation where they can be stable.
“And with that setup, what will happen to them, they will teach well, they will invest better in our students, and you are sure to have a better future.
“Just imagine that somebody is teaching for a month, and he/she is paid N9,000, even N7000, how much would he/she use for transportation alone?
“Many of them have children and they can’t take care of them, how do you expect them to give their best”, he asked.
The Deputy Provost of the college, Mrs Tarphena Dashan, in her address at the event, said the Bukuru Teachers Summit was anchored on one of the courses in the college, known as teaching for transformation.
According to Dashan, the summit was aimed at helping teachers rediscover themselves and the dignity in the teaching profession.
The Deputy Provost further stated that the summit was also to equip them with hands on skills on teaching and also creating wealth.
“The programme also focuses on raising teachers with a mission; teachers that will transform the teaching profession in Nigeria.
“We believe we are training teachers with a difference because we focus on spiritual values that would impact young students and pupils.
“We realise that the teaching profession has been bastardised; we realise that there are many people who are teaching, but don’t have any business being in the classroom.
“But here we are intentionally trying to redirect the thinking of this young students that we have, that teaching is a noble profession.
“And that teaching is a calling and they should embrace the profession with a passion. They should aim to make a great difference in the lives of the learners that they’re going to come into contact with”, she added.
One of the students who participated in the summit, Mr Samuel Nansel, said he had learnt a lot from the event, and thanked their teachers for the initiative.
Nansel continued that in addition to the teaching profession, he had acquired a skill on how to make shoes.
“I believe this will serve as another source of income for me, and I will help others while I practice my profession as a teacher,” he stated.
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Management of Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to embark on the water projects in Buguma city in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers state
The Group called on the Rivers state government to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
On the water project in Buguma, MOSIEND said the population of Buguma has increased tremendously as the residents need more water projects to enhance the daily livelihood of the people
The Group also appealed to the Chairman of the council to assist in making the project a reality and attracts more developmental projects to the city
This call was on Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt, Radio program, Talk of the Town, by MOSIEND Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn alongside Mark Ojuka,Chairman of Buguma and Hon Sandra Owunari JP Chairman Obuama and monitored by our correspondent
Comrade Ojuka also called on the Management of Liquidifed Natural Gas NLG to embark on a free medical outreach in all Kala bari communities to improve their health status
He appealed to LNG to award scholarship to indigens of Kalabari communities in tertiary institutions to better their education, noting the company is doing same in Bonny, abandoning Kalabari communities
“We need contracts, free medical, scholarships and employment including skill acquisition programs for our teeming youths in Kalabari extractions ”
On Security, Mark Ojuka said security in Buguma is at zero level with the help of the Ama Ma soldiers the city is more peaceful and investors friendly as the youths of area have cordial relationship with the security agencies in the area
“Security is very secured in Buguma clan”
He called on the Rivers state to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
“The youths are asking for human capacity building in the area to reduce unemployment”
“The revamping of the Buguma fish farm will also reduce youth violence”
Also Speaking, Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn called for more improve in infrastructures in Kalabari community, especially in electricity
There is little improvement in terms of electricity in Buguma city
He decried the deplorable condition
of Buguma Health Centre, saying that the hospital is near functional
“Our sisters that are pregnant and our sick parents can not access the health centre for a better treatment ”
Describing the Health Centre as an eye saw, he called on Rivers state government and Buguma Local Government chairman Hon William to improve on facilities in the centre and make it more medically accessible to the sick persons in the area
Buguma, Tammy Bruce said is the spiritual headquarter of Kalabari people as such deserve more modern facilities from the government to improve lives
The Coordinator called on government, stakeholders and oil companies to assist and improve the poor infrastructural facilities in area
“We need first class hospitals, qualified medical doctors and nurses in the health centres and hospitals”
On the oil spilled in Obuoma Chairman MOSIEND Obuoma, Hon Sandra Owunari said the spill destroyed their crops and Rivers even polluted their only source of drinking water
She expressed displeasure that Rivers state government did not send any relief materials to the people in the affected community
On Chieftaincy title to women in Obuama, Hon Sandra Owunari said the community do not install Chieftaincy title to women, saying that Chieftaincy title is only reserved for men only in the community
CHINEDU WOSU
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