By Prince Olalekan Olagunju
Attention has in recent times been focused on teacher’s professional duties, predominantly on duties in the classroom and the institutional life of the school. Regardless of financial resources available, an education system cannot function optimally without men and women to serve as teachers, instructors or lecturers in schools, colleges, higher institutions and in the general administration system.’
Whichever perspective teaching is considered, it has remained an occupation adding value to the societies in all ramifications; while its legal backing should be examined holistically nonetheless of misgiving or apathy and misconceptions about teachers.
Chambers Dictionary defines a profession as an occupation or job for which a person has received a specialised training or skill and follows as a career. Conversely, a professional is someone who is learned or skilled in a particular job or occupation in which he has specialised and intends to practise throughout his working career, such as, a medical doctor, an engineer, lawyer, artist, publisher, public relations practitioner, editor, accountant, programmer, architect etc.
The universal criteria setting a vocation apart as a profession can be listed as follows: Theoretical and practical knowledge mastered fully by the practitioners; reasonably long training in the field; continuous practice; a regulatory body that licenses and disciplines, as well as promotes the professional growth of practitioners and rendering qualitative services to the society by the practitioners among others.
Furthermore, the distinguishing characteristics of a true profession can be established on the following conditions: admission of members on equal footing, maintenance of members’ register, dues, and records which entails ranking and seniority; high standards of professional code of conduct, ethics and practice. In addition, members practise freely in accordance with existing laws and membership is restricted to those who fulfill the minimum qualification or are admitted by examination. Any profession that measures up to its billing will command high status and dignity, societal recognition/acceptance, job opportunity and security, job satisfaction, immense rewards and professional excellence, that is, efficient and effective service delivery.
In Nigeria, while some professions are mainly focused on trade union and professional excellence activities, others are simply concerned on improved professional practice.
The idea of professionalising teaching in Nigeria has been a Herculean task for many decades. In the law profession for instance, after graduation from the university and completion of the compulsory Law School programme, lawyers are called to bar and admitted into the professional body the Nigeria Bar Association, then licensed to practise. Entry levels in the teaching profession are not the same; although the minimum qualification is the National Certificate of Education, others are the Bachelor of Education, Postgraduate Diploma in Education or Professional Diploma in Education or Technical Teacher Certificate etc.
The professional status of teachers among themselves, as a matter of hierarchy, has not been fully defined and this poses a problem.
The class stratification has given birth to various unions and organisations; a factor that has worked against teachers’ professional growth for so long. The holy writ says: “A house divided against itself cannot stand”. Currently, prominent professional bodies in the teaching profession include the Nigeria Union of Teachers, established in 1931; the National Association of Unity Schools; and subject -based associations such as the National Association of Teachers of Technology, Science Teachers Association of Nigeria and Visual Art Teachers Association of Nigeria, Lagos State Dyeing and Bleaching Supervisors, Mathematical Association of Nigeria among others.
To compound the unsavoury situation, the vocation has been hijacked by all comers, making teaching a dumping ground for birds of passage holding on to teaching for just a while as they seek jobs of their choice, or persons who failed to succeed in other vocations and perhaps those who wish to combine teaching with other business such as trading, domestic works, etc
Teachers on their part are expected to embrace this golden opportunity to be registered by Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) as a means of taking their rightful place among the prestigious professionals. It is gratifying that states such as Lagos, Ogun and Osun have given priority attention to teachers’ development on platforms of regular capacity building, career development and elevation to the administrative position of Permanent Secretaries/Tutor Generals.
As we celebrate 2024 World Teachers’ Day with the theme: “Valuing Teacher Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education.”
It is pertinent at this crucial time for governments at all levels to give our teachers the honours they deserve nevertheless of the hierarchy; listen and act upon the demands of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Nigeria among others.
It is of utmost importance that professional bodies in the teaching profession should not limit themselves towards safeguarding their terms and conditions of service, but also providing an informed platform for discussion of educational challenges, exerting professional influence on the thinking of the government at all levels and the general public in respect of their educational needs and interests. This is a paramount duty of teachers in all places; be it nursery and primary school, secondary; and tertary institutions without being perjorative. To whom much is given much is expected. Let our teachers brace up to build a formidable profession guided by integrity, competence and excellence.
Olagunju writes from Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State, South West Nigeria. Email: princesadeolas@gmail.com.
