Guest speaker at the 15th combined convocation of Federal College of Education (FCE), Yola, Professor Muhammad Gurama, has decried the increase in the number of unqualified teachers, saying it is sabotaging the standard of primary school education.
Gurama, a lecturer at the Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Gombe State University made the assertion in a paper delivered to mark the 50th Anniversary of the institution in Yola on Friday.
He stated that unless urgent measures were taken to rid the menace, especially in public schools, the repercussions would be falling in the standard of education in Nigeria.
“It is unfortunate that politicians influence the appointment of Diploma holders to teach in primary schools at LGA levels.
“All hands should be on deck to ensure that only those who have NCE as minimum qualifications are employed as teachers,” he stated.
He emphasised that Diploma holders have little or nothing to offer primary school pupils, adding that the pace at which teaching is professionalised in Nigeria is very slow as most primary schools are taken over by unlicenced teachers.
In his paper titled, “Fifty Years of Teacher-Education In Nigeria: The Experience of FCE Yola,” the educationist lauded the institution for producing 40,522 NCE graduands since its inception.
He said the figure is certainly a phenomenal achievement and a significant contribution to the development of teacher-training in Nigeria.
He further stated that the college students’ ratio currently stands at 6,763 in its 2023/2024 academic session, especially with the affiliation of the college with the University of Maiduguri.
The guest lecturer also recommended the implementation of NTEP by both the national and sub-national governments without further delay to benefit teacher-trainees and training institutions and regulatory agencies.
The lecture was attended by the deputy governor of Adamawa State, Prof Kaletapwa Farauta, who is also an alumnus of the college.
