The Registrar, Chief Executive, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria Professor Segun Ajiboye has said academic excellence would be easily achieved in the country when highly qualified professionals are given opportunity to teach in the nation’s institutions of learning.
Ajiboye who stated this while presenting the 488th inaugural lecture of the University of Ibadan entitled “Teaching: In the Classroom as a Regulator” said Nigeria needs to urgently review her teacher education policy and programmes in order to produce 21stcentury teachers.He called on the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board to make admission into colleges and faculties of education stricter to ensure the best brains enter the teaching profession.
According to him, lowering the cut-off for education courses will negatively impact the quality of people who eventually will enter classrooms to teach Nigerian children. Ajiboye who is Professor of Social Studies, Civic and Environmental Studies at the University of Ibadan stated that cut-off to education related courses should rank among the highest.
“Admission into colleges of education and Faculties of Education in Nigeria should be stricter. The current practice is dangerous for the future of our education. Those who want to teach our children should be the best in our society and not the dregs.