Prof. Segun Ajiboye, the Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), on Sunday appealed to the Federal Government to improve security in education communities in the country.
Ajiboye made the appeal in Ibadan at the “Guest Forum” programme of the Oyo State chapter of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists.
He said government must urgently address the trend “ so as not to engender fear in the heart of those genuinely interested in learning and doing their job.’’
The TRCN boss, who expressed worry at the kidnap of some school girls in Dapchi, Yobe, by suspected insurgents urged the government to ensure adequate security for teachers and pupils in crisis-prose areas.
Ajiboye also said that N100 million had been set aside by the council to promote teachers’ welfare in 2018.
The amount, he said, was included in the 2018 budget and would be deployed in appreciation of the contributions of teachers to the growth of Nigeria.
Ajiboye, however, urged governors to focus on the welfare of teachers, saying they are playing a critical role in producing future leaders in the country.
On the competency tests being organised by some governors for teachers, Ajiboye said Nigerian teachers are not afraid of such tests.
He said that the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) had indicated its willingness to participate in such tests organised by TRCN, adding that it is the regulatory body empowered to do so.
Ajiboye, who vowed to revolutionise the teaching profession, said that the council had been contracted by the Kaduna State Government to organise the test for teachers in its secondary schools.
“TRCN has become a household name. When I came on board, the TRCN website was down.
“Now the website is perfectly functional and interactive.
“ The TRCN certificate has become one of the criteria for being engaged as a teacher nationwide.
“The collaboration we enjoy from the NUT and others have been a strong pillar for TRCN, ” he said. (NAN)
