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 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.
