NUT Harps On Teachers’ Retraining
Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), has advised its members to build their capacities to be able to meet up with the challenges of the new era.
The advise was given during the World Teachers’ Day, themed: ‘Teachers: Leading in Crisis, Reimagining the Future’.
The Secretary General, NUT, Dr Mike Ike-Ene, said that teachers needed to be more creative, resilience and innovative.
He stated: “This year’s theme clearly shows that the greater burdens of COVID-19 have been placed on teachers to build their capacities to be more resilience and creative, because, teachers are the ones shaping society. If teachers have to lead in this COVID-19 period, we really need to show that we are professionals.
“As a teacher, you should know more than the people you are leading. We need to have quality education and promote long term learning. Teachers need to be provided with more opportunities for regular training,” he said.
Similarly, the Rivers state chapter of NUT, has tasked teachers to show high level of diligence in their service to humanity, while also ensuring total compliance with all COVID-19 guidelines for the safety and health of the society.
The chapter chairman, Comrade Dumnaata Lucky Nkpogone, who spoke with journalist, said the low-key celebration was to comply with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Rivers state government’s policies and directives on COVID-19 pandemic.
He urged other teachers to resume duties in their various schools in line with the directive of the state government to reopen schools.
He noted that the order of government was not a coincidence, but an act of God to allow students and teachers return to school on the auspicious day, when teachers were celebrating the sacrifices of their labour.
He said the theme would provide the opportunity for teachers in Rivers state to, “brainstorm with employers of labour in the sector on how to enhance the services and welfare of teachers.”
He said that despite the pivotal role of teachers in the molding of characters and harnessing of talents, they have, over the years, been relegated and denied their proper place in the society.
The NUT boss pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic has further revealed the importance of teachers as all alternatives to the services of teachers across the world, appear not to work, noting that the in-person interaction between teachers and students or pupils remains the most potent strategy towards achieving a great and educated future. He urged governments at all levels and other relevant stakeholders to invest in the educational sector, by giving the right incentives to teachers, especially in the area of training and retraining, to raise standards in their services.
#orientdailynews
