About 1300 teachers in Kaduna have failed in
tests generally set for primary four pupils, Commissioner for Education Alhaji
Usman Mohammed has revealed.
tests generally set for primary four pupils, Commissioner for Education Alhaji
Usman Mohammed has revealed.
He made the shocking disclosure at an
education summit tagged “Education for all is responsibility of all”, held at
the Hassan Usman Katsina House yesterday.
education summit tagged “Education for all is responsibility of all”, held at
the Hassan Usman Katsina House yesterday.
“A total of 1,599 teachers selected from
across the state were given primary four tests in Mathematics and Basic
literacy. Only one of them scored 75 percent, 250 scored between 50 to 75
percent and 1,300 scored below 25 percent,” he said.
across the state were given primary four tests in Mathematics and Basic
literacy. Only one of them scored 75 percent, 250 scored between 50 to 75
percent and 1,300 scored below 25 percent,” he said.
According to him, the same examination was
conducted for 1,800 primary school pupils but that larger percent of them
failed woefully.
conducted for 1,800 primary school pupils but that larger percent of them
failed woefully.
“We are not surprised about the performance of
the pupils because how can they know it, when their teachers don’t know it,” he
added.
the pupils because how can they know it, when their teachers don’t know it,” he
added.
The commissioner said larger percentage of the
head teachers of the primary schools are not competent, and also that majority
of the Education Secretaries of local government areas are appointed based on
political patronage hence their inability to perform well.
head teachers of the primary schools are not competent, and also that majority
of the Education Secretaries of local government areas are appointed based on
political patronage hence their inability to perform well.
In November last year, late Governor Patrick
Yakowa also disclosed at the graduation ceremony of the National Teachers
Institute, Kaduna, that a verification exercise by the state government had
revealed no fewer than 2,000 teachers with fake certificates employed in public
schools.
Yakowa also disclosed at the graduation ceremony of the National Teachers
Institute, Kaduna, that a verification exercise by the state government had
revealed no fewer than 2,000 teachers with fake certificates employed in public
schools.
Mohammed said the state has established a
quality assurance board to evaluate and monitor standard of education in the
state.
quality assurance board to evaluate and monitor standard of education in the
state.
The chairman of the state House of Assembly
committee on education Yunusa Mohammad said out of the 36,000 teachers in the
state, 15,000 are not qualified.
committee on education Yunusa Mohammad said out of the 36,000 teachers in the
state, 15,000 are not qualified.
The chairman of the State Universal Basic
Education Ishaya Dare Akau said for the rot in the sector to be addressed,
local government chairmen must give attention to the primary schools sector.
Education Ishaya Dare Akau said for the rot in the sector to be addressed,
local government chairmen must give attention to the primary schools sector.
“The problem we are facing today is as a
result of problems in the education sector. The issue of Boko Haram is one of
it. Our failure to train these youths is making us to spend more money on
security. If you fail to spend money on the education of the children, one day
you will spend more money in buying bullets to kill them,” he said.
result of problems in the education sector. The issue of Boko Haram is one of
it. Our failure to train these youths is making us to spend more money on
security. If you fail to spend money on the education of the children, one day
you will spend more money in buying bullets to kill them,” he said.
In his address, Kaduna state governor, Alhaji
Mukhtar Ramalan Yero said if need be, his administration would declare a state
of emergency in the education sector in order to address the rot there in.
Mukhtar Ramalan Yero said if need be, his administration would declare a state
of emergency in the education sector in order to address the rot there in.
“Education is second to security in the
priorities of our administration. So therefore, I will not hesitate to declare
state of emergency on the sector to address the rot. We need practical not
theoretical solution. State government is investing heavily on the education
sector,” he said.
priorities of our administration. So therefore, I will not hesitate to declare
state of emergency on the sector to address the rot. We need practical not
theoretical solution. State government is investing heavily on the education
sector,” he said.
The governor, while challenging local
government chairmen in the state on training of primary school teachers,
stressed that for the teachers to perform well, they must be trained regularly.
government chairmen in the state on training of primary school teachers,
stressed that for the teachers to perform well, they must be trained regularly.
“The teachers are yours; you employed them,
and promote them when necessary. So, they are yours. I urge you the local
government chairmen to look critically at the workforce and try to eliminate
those that are not qualified. If you allow the situation to continue like this,
the sector will collapse,” he said.
and promote them when necessary. So, they are yours. I urge you the local
government chairmen to look critically at the workforce and try to eliminate
those that are not qualified. If you allow the situation to continue like this,
the sector will collapse,” he said.
Reacting to the survey, the chairman of the
Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Kaduna, Comrade Audu T. Amba said he
was not aware of the survey.
Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Kaduna, Comrade Audu T. Amba said he
was not aware of the survey.
“I was supposed to be at the summit but I
could not make it. I don’t know when, where and how the survey was conducted.
Sometime last year, they came out and said 18,000 teachers are unqualified but
how many teachers do we have in the state? Who employed the unqualified
teachers ? It is the same government that employed them.
could not make it. I don’t know when, where and how the survey was conducted.
Sometime last year, they came out and said 18,000 teachers are unqualified but
how many teachers do we have in the state? Who employed the unqualified
teachers ? It is the same government that employed them.
“If selfish interest is not removed in
recruitment, we will continue to have the problem. If government is
complaining, who do we blame? The government should be blamed for it,” he said
in a telephone interview.
recruitment, we will continue to have the problem. If government is
complaining, who do we blame? The government should be blamed for it,” he said
in a telephone interview.
To improve the performance of teachers, the
Director-General of National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna Dr, Aminu Ladan
Sharehu said teachers must be trained at least thrice in year.
Director-General of National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna Dr, Aminu Ladan
Sharehu said teachers must be trained at least thrice in year.
“Three things must be done to enhance the
capacity of teachers. One, there must be continued capacity training of
teachers at least thrice a year. Two, teachers should be encouraged to upgrade
and update their academic qualification and thirdly, the welfare and
remunerations of teachers should be enhanced,” he said.
capacity of teachers. One, there must be continued capacity training of
teachers at least thrice a year. Two, teachers should be encouraged to upgrade
and update their academic qualification and thirdly, the welfare and
remunerations of teachers should be enhanced,” he said.
Source: Daily Trust
