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Teachers’ Professional Exams

Published

6 years ago

October 18, 2019

The idea of subjecting teachers in the service of the Federal Government to write a professional examination is generating some controversies. It may be considered as a damage-control strategy, because, if the right thing had been done, then, there would be no need to invite a fire brigade. Establishment of a Teachers Registration Council was meant to professionalise the job of teaching, which is an international practice. In some countries, a teacher, including proselytists, must have a licence before undertaking such activities.
The necessity for regulation of various professional or career practices is quite important. In the case of the education sector, the need is even greater because of the wide implication involved in mind-control activities.
Mind-Control activities include teaching, proselytism, writing to inform, educate and influence the perception of the masses, etc. Hypnosis must be excluded, even though it is a wide-spread malpractice, perhaps, not quite recognised by the relevant authorities.
A situation where those who teach, including some professors, can afford to speak such grammar as “those of us who teaches…” indicates the existence of fundamental inconsistencies somewhere. The inconsistencies arise from the absence of justice, selectiveness in terms of merits lack of vigour and discipline in recruitment, appointment and promotion of staff in public establishments. Damages crated at such grassroots levels result in the use of fire-brigade strategies when the effects begin to fester.
Without going into the damages which application of “Quota System” in appointments and promotions in Nigeria, public services had caused, we see the unpleasant results everywhere now. Neither would conducting of examinations for teachers and other civil servants solve the problems. A situation where people can be appointed and promoted without regard to merit and competence, and then placed in strategic and sensitive positions, what comes about cannot be anything to wonder about.
Anybody who knows the true situations in Nigerian public services, especially after the Civil War (1970), would be surprised at the resilience and ability of the nation to absorb shocks and jolts. The damage-control measure of administering examinations to teachers should not stop with teachers alone, but must be holistic and comprehensive, if it must yield positive results. If the exercise is done with sincerity and justice, what would emerge is that incompetent persons have been shielded for too long in the public services. No sector is free from the virus.
Having been an external examiner, one is aware that the shielding process of incompetent persons by god-fathers is widespread even in universities. Are we not aware that some powerful persons make phone calls to shield, protect or give undue advantages to candidates whom they sponsor? Sponsored social mobility is known to undermine merit and justice.
A healthy appointments and promotions process should be able to throw up the best and most competent candidates, rather than the use of sponsorship to install incompetent persons in public establishments. As it is in the public services so also it is in elective and political processes. It is a situation where people who place emphasis and value on merit and justice have lost confidence in what goes on under the pretext of “screening process”.
Whatever errors and injustices there may have been in the past, we can still have a turn-around for the better. The first lesson in that process is the application of the doctrine of positive discrimination, which is a process of bias-free identification and classification of people, ability-wise. What is known as occupational misfit arises from a mis-match between personal ability and competence vis-à-vis position occupied in an economy. The value of guidance/counselling in an economy lies in bias-free process of identification of personal abilities. Wheat must be separated from chaff!
A second lesson worthy of application in getting the best out of human abilities is current training programme which can simply be called knowledge update. No professional is so competent that regular knowledge up-date would not be necessary. Being an organist as an adolescent, and several years away from the music hobby, one finds it difficult now to know a quaver from a minim; neither can the fingers do what they knew best in the past.
The joy of knowledge or professional competence lies in its regular application and up-date. One there is laxity or relenting of efforts and continuity, these must always be a decline in competence and performance. No individual, organisation or nation has progressed by standing still or placing incompetent hands in strategic and sensitive positions. Similarly, wherever emphasis is placed on certificate rather than practical and visible competence, decline would follow. Nigerians have been known to fake certificates which they cannot make.
Of more importance in the case of declining productivity in Nigeria, is the complacent attitude of the elite class. Watch and observe what members of the elite class say and do in their leisure hours and what excites them most. The emptiness and oppressively narrow sphere of interest and superficiality of their value orientation would be found to be quite pathetic. A society where wealth replaces eternal values and where immediate personal gains replace joyful services and productive labour decline comes soon.
Similarly, a situation where pity wears the garb of meretricious self-righteousness, education would wear a similar garb of window-dressing. Nigerians would do better investing in a process of conscientization rather than setting examination for teachers. Would there not be any malpractice in such examination? Would the examiners not sell scores and grades for something else? We should know where the shoes are pinching.

Bright Amirize

Featured

Tinubu Hails NGX N100trn Milestones, Urges Nigerians To Invest Locally

Published

5 hours ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu yesterday celebrated the Nigerian Exchange Group’s breakthrough into the N100tn market capitalisation threshold, saying Nigeria has moved from an ignored frontier market to a compelling investment destination.

Tinubu, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, urged Nigerians to increase their investments in the domestic economy, expressing confidence that 2026 would deliver stronger returns as ongoing reforms take firmer root.

He noted that the NGX closed 2025 with a 51.19 per cent return, outperforming global indices such as the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, as well as several BRICS+ emerging markets, after recording 37.65 per cent in 2024.

“With the Nigerian Exchange crossing the historic N100tn market capitalisation mark, the country is witnessing the birth of a new economic reality and rejuvenation,” Tinubu said.

He attributed the stellar performance to Nigerian companies proving they can deliver strong investment returns across all sectors, from blue-chip industrials localising supply chains to banks demonstrating technological innovation.

The President added, “Year-to-date returns have significantly outpaced the S&P 500, the FTSE 100, and even many of our emerging-market peers in the BRICS+ group. Nigeria is no longer a frontier market to be ignored—it is now a compelling destination where value is being discovered.”

Tinubu disclosed that more indigenous energy firms, technology companies, telecoms operators and infrastructure firms are preparing to list on the exchange, a move he said would deepen market capitalisation and broaden economic participation.

He also cited what he described as a sustained decline in inflation over eight months—from 34.8 per cent in December 2024 to 14.45 per cent in November 2025—projecting that the rate would fall below 10 per cent before the end of 2026.

“Indeed, inflation is likely to fall below 10 per cent before the end of this year, leading to improved living standards and accelerated GDP growth. The year 2026 promises to be an epochal year for delivering prosperity to all Nigerians,” he said.

The President attributed the trend to monetary tightening, elimination of Ways and Means financing, and agricultural investments, which he said helped stabilise the naira and ease post-reform pressures.

Nigeria’s current account surplus reached $16bn in 2024, with the Central Bank projecting $18.81bn in 2026, reflecting a trade pattern shift toward exporting more and importing less locally-producible goods.

Non-oil exports jumped 48 per cent to N9.2tn by the third quarter of 2025, with African exports nearly doubling to N4.9tn. Manufacturing exports grew 67 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter.

Foreign reserves have crossed $45bn and are expected to breach $50 billion in the first quarter, giving the CBN ammunition to maintain currency stability and end the volatility that previously fuelled speculation, according to the President.

Tinubu also highlighted infrastructure expansion in rail networks, arterial roads, port revitalisation, and the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways, alongside improvements in healthcare facilities that are reducing medical tourism costs, and increased university research grants funded through the Nigeria Education Loan Fund.

“Our medicare facilities are improving, and medical tourism costs are declining. Our students benefit from the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, and universities are receiving increased research grants,” he said.

He described nation-building as a process requiring hard work, sacrifices, and citizen focus, pledging to continue working to build an egalitarian, transparent, and high-growth economy catalysed by historic tax and fiscal reforms that came into full implementation from January 1.

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RSG Kicks Off Armed Forces Remembrance Day ‘Morrow …Restates Commitment Towards Veterans’ Welfare

Published

6 hours ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has reiterated its commitment towards the welfare of veterans, serving officers and widows of fallen officers in the State.

?The Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Benibo Anabraba, in a statement by ?Head, Information and Public Relations Unit, SSG’s ?Office, ?Juliana Masi, stated this during the Central Planning meeting of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

?Anabraba thanked the Committee for their contributions to the success of the Emblem Appeal Fund Ceremony recently held in the State and called on them to double their efforts so that the State can record resounding success in the remaining activities.

?According to him, the remembrance day events will begin with Jumaàt Prayers on Friday, 9th January at the Rivers State Central Mosque, Port Harcourt Township, while a Humanitarian Outreach/Family and Community Day will be hosted on Saturday, 10th January, by the wife of the governor, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, for widows and veterans.

?”On Sunday, 11th January, an Interdenominational Church Thanksgiving Service will hold at St. Cyprian Anglican Church, Port Harcourt Township while the Grand-finale Wreath- Laying Ceremony will hold on Thursday, 15th January at the Isaac Boro Park Cenotaph, Port Harcourt”, he said.

?The SSG noted that one of the highlights of the events is the laying of wreaths by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Heads of the Security Agencies.

Featured

Fubara Redeploys Green As Commissioner For Justice

Published

1 week ago

December 30, 2025

The Tide

The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has approved a minor cabinet reshuffle in the State Executive Council.

Under the new disposition, Barrister Christopher Green, who until now served as Commissioner for Sports, has been redeployed to the Ministry of Justice as the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

This is contained in an official statement signed by Dr. Honour Sirawoo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications.

According to the statement, Barrister Green will also continue to coordinate the activities of the Ministry of Sports pending the appointment of a substantive Commissioner to oversee the ministry.

The redeployment, which takes immediate effect, was approved at the last State Executive Council meeting for the year 2025, underscoring the Governor’s commitment to strengthening governance, ensuring continuity in service delivery, and optimising the performance of key ministries within the state.