Adebayo Adenrele
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekiti State Council on Thursday paid a courtesy visit to the Federal College of Education, Ilawe-Ekiti, as part of its strategic moves to collaborate with critical institutions towards ensuring quality partnership for robust co-existence.
Speaking earlier, the Secretary Council, Comrade O’Seun Ogunsakin, who led the 5-man delegation on behalf of the Council Chairman, Comrade Kayode Babatuyi, said the visit was part of the union’s commitment to building strategic partnerships with institutions capable of advancing education and societal development.
Ogunsakin congratulated the management of the College for the impressive infrastructural development and the institution’s vision of becoming a leading centre for teacher education in Nigeria.
The NUJ Secretary identified publicity as one of the major areas of partnership, stressing that many institutions fail to receive deserved recognition because they do not effectively showcase their achievements.
Ogunsakin also proposed collaboration in capacity building through the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), the training arm of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
He noted that the institute, with its study centre in Ado-Ekiti and headquarters in Abuja, could provide professional journalism and communication training for members of staff of the college who wished to enhance their media and public communication skills.
The Secretary further suggested the establishment of a Press Club within the institution to nurture students with an interest in journalism and mass communication alongside their education programmes.
According to him, exposing students to journalism at an early stage would help develop critical thinking, communication skills and leadership qualities, irrespective of their chosen teaching careers.
He stressed the need for stronger collaboration between the NUJ and the college to advocate policies that would restore the dignity of the teaching profession and improve the nation’s education system.
His words, “We wrote to you seeking collaboration with this institution because we have seen your vision of making this college one of the foremost institutions for advanced teacher education in Nigeria.
“The first area of collaboration is publicity. If you do not publicise what you have, people will not know about you. The NUJ has members across different media platforms, including online, print, electronic and other media organisations. If we partner with you, we can project the success stories of this institution and attract more attention to the college.
“The second area is training. We have the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), with a study centre in Ado-Ekiti and its headquarters in Abuja. Through the IIJ, members of staff of this institution can receive professional journalism and media-related training.
“We also have students of education who may have an interest in journalism. We can collaborate to establish a Press Club in the school to nurture such interests.
“The last area is policy advocacy. Today, the nation does not appear to place enough value on education. Society celebrates success regardless of whether it comes through legitimate means or otherwise.
“There is a need for us to work together to achieve your vision while advocating policies that will strengthen teacher education”.
In his response, the Provost of the College, Dr. Smart Olugbeko expressed his gratitude to the body for extending an olive branch to the Institution, saying no organisation can survive without any partnership with the media sector.
Dr. Olugbeko used the opportunity to call for improved remuneration, enhanced welfare packages and greater national recognition for teachers as part of urgent measures to revive Nigeria’s struggling education sector.
The Provost maintained that the declining interest in the teaching profession was largely a consequence of poor remuneration and the low societal value placed on teachers, stressing that meaningful reforms must begin with making teaching an attractive and rewarding career.
According to him, many graduates deliberately avoid education-related careers because of poor salary structures and the perception that the profession offers little financial security.
Dr. Olugbeko noted that even low-skilled jobs abroad often provide workers with decent living standards, while teachers in Nigeria struggle to make ends meet.
He argued that if teachers, particularly those at the basic education level, were adequately compensated, the profession would attract the nation’s brightest minds.
“Education remains the least subscribed course in Nigeria because the returns on investment are not encouraging. Students prefer courses such as Medicine, Law, Nursing and other highly rated professional programmes.
“There is virtually no private university in Nigeria that focuses solely on education because there are very little financial returns from such investment.
“Government policies are usually based on facts and data. If the current trend continues, a time will come when Nigeria will not have enough qualified teachers because many of those currently teaching are reluctant teachers who entered the profession simply because they had no other employment opportunities.
“Teaching has gradually been relegated in society. I believe collaboration between the college and the NUJ is very important.
“The fundamental issue is how society rewards teachers. It is all about compensation. People do not study Medicine simply because they like the profession; they do so because they expect good returns on their investment.
“The same principle applies to teaching. If government begins to pay teachers attractive salaries, more people will willingly study education and embrace teaching as a career.
“Many teachers currently in primary and secondary schools are there simply because they could not secure employment elsewhere.
“Teaching should be restored to its rightful place in society. It is a national challenge that requires urgent attention”. He added
Other members of the Management of the Federal College of Education, Ilawe Ekiti present during the courtesy visit includes the Registrar, Dr. Khadijah Garba; the Public Relations Officer, Temilola Mercy Ajide and the Head of Administrative Department, Omolola Olabisi.
