University of Nigeria Virtual Library

Serial No ISSN: 1119-3190

Author 1 NWAUBANI, Okechukwu O.

Author 2 Author 3

Title Towards a New Direction for Teacher Education in Nigeria in the Year 2010-

Issues, Problems and Prospects Keywords

Description Towards a New Direction for Teacher Education in Nigeria in the Year 2010-

Issues, Problems and Prospects

Category Social Science Education

Publisher Obaroh& Ogbinaka Publishers Limited

Publication Date

March, 1998

Signature

1 EARNEST OM-OBE The Rdr\uncr and Problems of Tcrrchcr Educstiun in Kiprim: lmplicrtion fur Cullcger of Education

2 KAYODE AJAYI Brcalir~:: thr Barrirrb to Full P rofohnnlirnlion of Trrrhinr in SiLcrin h! the I'c-r XI0

3 DONNWOSU Trnchrr Education for Self Rclience: An E~.nluation of Foliq Pro\ i r i r ~ ~ \

snu Implcmcntetion

.~:NWAU~&NI Toward3 a Nrn. Direction for Teacher Education i n Nkcr i r ia thc Year 7 2010; Issues, Problems and Prospects.

5 M.A.A. OGUNYEMI Prrpirring Kigcrian Trct.nical Tcrrhcrr for Adult Education h tkr ?Id Ctntur)

6 P.M. NDUKWL' Thc P c d a p ~ of Philosophy of Education; A Participator?. Approad

7 S.C. MADUMERE Profcssianalism and Teacher Education; A Socia1 Proms Apprvrch for Vicion 2010

8 C.CHUKU Tunards an Improved Curnmunicntion Programme for Tcachcr T rsinccl in Nigrriun C~Jlcges of Education.

9 A.G.O. CGUfZTOYE Ah'D N. UZOKA Finnnrinc of Teacher Education; Baric Pruhlernr and Challcrt~rr.

10 M.V. AJUZIE Thc Prchlrrn of Son-Avnilnhility u l Data in Educational Plxnniri~ In Ni~rr iu; Ekprctatiun for this 2 1 s t C c n t u ~

11 CHlMA NWOSU i'r,tfcs$ir~nalization in Tenchcr Education, Proldcrns n i ~ d P r v c p t ~ l c

12 G.I.U: CHIAHA Priwte Schools and Educationnl Dcwlopmrnt In h'ipxia; A F1:trth Tonardr thc ?Is1 C r n t u ~ .

13 SOLA ADEKOYA T u ~ r r d 3 the ~rrdicaiion.of)':lolrnt Srcrct Cdls &r ISi~criun lmfitution, of . . tlight-r Lcurning hy the Year 2010: A Religious a d Moral Education Approach Y I

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PPEFACE

NOTES ON COKITUBUTORS

1 The Relevance and Problems of Teacher Educntion in Nigeria: Impli~at~on for Colleges of Eduiauon - Earnest Ola - Obe

2 Breaking the Barriers to Full frofessionalization of'reaching in Nigeria by the year 2010 - Kaycde Aja!i.

3 TeacherMucation for Self Reliance: An Evaluation of Policy Prov~sions and Implementation - Don Nwonr,

yards a ncw Direction for Tearher Education in Nigeria in the Year Issues, Problems and Prospects. - 0.0. Nwaubani

5 Preparing Nigerian Technical Teachers for Adlilt Education in the 2 I st Centun - hf A A Ogun!.cmi.

6 The Peda~ogy of Philosoph! of Educatiori; A Participaton Approach - P.N. Nduknu.

7 Professic:~alism and Teacher Education; A Social Process Approach for ' Vis~on 2010 - S.C. hladulncre

8 Tonards an Improved Communication Programme for Teacher Trainees In N~gc'l~an Collspes of Education - C. Chuku.

12 Private Scl~ools and Educal~onal Dcvelopmcnt in Nigena: A Ms~ch To\wds tllc Z Is1 Centyb.. - G.T U . Chlaha.

13 Towards the iirari~cation of \'iolenr Secret Cults in Nigerian Institution oftllgher Leanling by the Ycar 2010: A Religious and Moral Education Approach - Sola Adckoya.

x T O \ V A R D S A AEW DJRECTIW FOR TEACHER EDLICATION LV h'lCERU LV THE )'EAR 2010 - ISSUES, PKOBLE!dS AND PROSPECTS

ABSTRACT Teacher chrcafior~ programme in .Vigerio is currentl~~a syhjecr of irrrctr.cc prrblic dchafc. Indwd, son~f pcvple I ;a . r a c h m Iedgcd thc role ~ f t e a ~ l ~ c r x . t~.~rcri~11!\. ronrprfoir!~ :riiirrcdotrcs, rr t thc d~~~~elopnri.t~fqfthc~ocie!~: Howrwr. orirtw Irure eqrml!~ argrrcd r h r rhc rclm~ance of reachcr ed~rcafion will depe~rd oti Iiou i f is able lo sltrt rile changing v a l u ~ s a~ldnccds of rhe ; l ' ip~ iar~ sociep. /his raper c.tun~i~rm rllr changrnp rretrds in the socien. and rhrir inrpucr or1 rlre value of

- ~cacher ed~icarron in .Vigcria. Specrfirall,\: issrrcs like rapidly P . V ~ . P ( I I ~ I I I ~

oppor~~nif irs , dnirrdling projessio~~al srarus gfteoclring. poorprblic in~nge of teaching, lack o j a d c p a ~ e funding, administrative sttppor7; irradcquare cur- ricula and nrisplaredsocietal wlues. err.. are idct~tr~cdus some qfilic issues that of icr feaclier chcorion in :V~pna. Bcside~ rnisi)ip ~ I I P S C i.~.wes, their inlplica- tionsj3r ~ I I C sociol. crorromic, political. scienrific and tcclrr~ologicol derdop- molt o/.Yrgct-ia arc d:snrswd.

ISTRODUCTJON Today in Nigeria, public opinion is unanimous on the view that education is a vital factor for all round national dc\'elopmcnt. This position is aptl!rr.flcctcd in the 'National Policx on Education', \vherc the Federal G o v m n e n t and people ofKipcria adopted education as "an instrument par ~ Y C C ~ I C I I C ~ ~ ' for effectin? national dc~.cloprncnr (Federal Rrpuhlic of Ntgcria, 1981 . 5). It is therefore understandable \vhy g o \ - c m ~ ~ i c ~ ~ t s all over the \\.odd mcluding Nigeria attach great i n l p m n i c to education.

One aspect of education \\hiill is squall!. ofvital inlpor~mcc to the entire educational \\.stem and nationill dcvelop!c~i! is tca:hcr education Tlte ~ c a ~ l i c r is t l i ~ most hpor tmt !.rztor rcqrlired b!. tlir soziet! for flit cfkc!ivc re;~lintion of 11s rcilltical, economic, tcihnolo~ic;~l. moral and socid dcvclc7~1nal:al obj~c~i\.r 's and uspirations

In tlic rcirliz~t~on of cm:~;ll role of tlic tcacl~cr ciiucalion to tht owrall national iicvelop~ncnt, the National Polrc! on Edxa~lon ' has outlined tile purpose of teacher cdi~cat~on in Nigeria to indudc among d i c r tliinfs, thr' prod11:tion of highly nlofivatcci, ionwimtious and cfictivc clnwooni tcachers for all I C W I S ofow educational system, who :\lI! hc rmul,r!!-d to thcrcal~/s :~w .~!Xi,rcri;!',::.~t:o~~:;; 3: .;.:tr 2s. 'I i C. i;,~~lli:ati-n ofthis 1s that the training and education of trachtrs is cn~ciul 10 the survival of Kiscria's dututional s!,stcnl and licr progress tonards cfie;tive and s~i~t:lin;~bIc developmcmr 111 the Z l st Centon.

hl Nigtriic hforr: ~nd~pcnJcncc il l 1960, tht dirc~tioil of Icarl~sr t i l~cir t io~~ sccnicd mlbigous and confu~ing 1:irpcly h a u s e of the conflicting intsrcst, of sc~er;tl ccmfr olllnp iipmcics - pvcni~ncnt , missicnsriss and otl~er principal ini[~;~ti\.cs. Apins! t1i.s hack- ground, the 1909 National Curn:ulum Con~crcl~cc \\llich \\a< I~cld in Lagos oi~tlincd in c1e;crer terms, tlie ainis, dircctisn, structure and contcnt of cducation in Nigeria nit aflennalh of this confcrcnce c s p i a l l y die scries of seminars and \~orkshops that loll on^^

HISTORICAL B.-\CKGROC?iI) OF TEACi1ER EDVCATIOS 1X IVICERL* -1hc 111stor\ of tcs:l~cr r.iu;~llion In Nigeria is 1ntr1~31cl\ intcr\\o\cn \\it11 the earl\ nii.;.r[u~ar? L . I I ~ : J \ . ~ : ~ I ~ s : ~ i cjlicalioll. In fact, ~1:1rl! 1~i l i I :~r ~ ~ ~ I I I I I I ~ ~ ~ C \ ; ~ X ~ I I I S L p d u : c d t C ~ i l ~ c . r 5 uIlo>c. ~ I . ; I . orlr.:ibllons \\.ere t~llcd to\\artls c\a11~cli~111 ( S h u 1964). 1 lo\\cver, i o n ~ ~ a l tc3<11~i C J ! I ~ J I I ~ hsgm 19 1896 \\ith the es~ahlislunent of the St. hd:e\v'sCollspe 2: (t.0 h! I l i ~ Cht~rdi hli>sioriar?. Society. Others \\err: later establ~shcd at O g b m o s o in I X T , Ibd.ul 111 I ' X i b! the Bapllst Mission uid Lhc hlcdrodists rrspfitivcl!~ (Fafun\\&, l9-4;1

Gowni~r~c~rt c n q . xito Lhs tduiational sccnc Icd to t l ~ r esti~blislu~icnt of Teacher Tri~:l;~n;Cc~it:c~ in diKcrcn: ~ I I S ofh? i~cr iasuch i l~ l~~nin 1901 .Toro, 192S,Katsini11929. S~: :~ i l~r l \ , dl:: colziiil pcnunc t r t inlprovrd 11s ~onirii~lnr~nt to tcilclw d u i i l ~ i o n rluourh I I L 1 1 , ~ . 1 j ~ > SI~)I.C\ i'i\:~:~li~><l:>!, K t p n of 1925 \ \ i~i i l \ ~ c ~ o I I ~ I ~ ~ L ' I ~ J L ' ~ u t \ \o ticr systt111 ~i l'c.~;!,.~ -1 r.~!:,il); Lri\~x:i::i: fi\r t c ~ ~ ~ l r c r s - tlic L I ~ I I I L . I I I ~ 1 tacllcrs C c r ~ ~ f i c ~ t c i'E 7- C t3r < ,I~J.!; l i :L:: l ~ ~ s s \ c r i7il:igAT. ~ . I I O L ~ ! tc~clicrs a11J Ih;I~cr i - l ~ ~ ; i c ~ ~ t ; ~ n , T - ~ a d i ~ r ~ C c r ~ i l ~ ~ a i c I!] I . I .C ,I 21 h d c 11 l t>r tilt I'III~;.II-. S A m l I c ~ ~ l r c r s (Uddr. I N 5 I.

T l w c nljo \\ err. i1d1111ucd tor the E.T.C. ucre standard six certificnte holders vho must ]is\ c l w c ~ ~ plpil tcil:l~crs. 771ub, aficr tlic S ! I ~ C ~ S S ~ U ~ co~i~plc t i~n o f d ~ E.T.C. course, (Grade 111 t . 111c S \ I ~ ~ C . S ~ S U I i c ~ l i J i J a I ~ ~ \\IXL' L'\Pc~Ic'J to teach for at lelisr t\\.oycars bcforc. proceeding it3 : I I ~ 11.L.T.C. (Giddc Il! i~!r ctnotlwr I \ \ O !cars. I ' l~ls 1\10 ticr s p t m of tcaii~cr - ~ramrng r o i ~ t ~ ~ ~ u c d !'or ;I I , ) : I~ t ~ i l i t in Niprria \\it11 t l ~ c u n ~ n o ~ ~ c u m ~ u l u ~ n . Ilo\\e\cr, bc-cause o f ~ h e a;utc sl~on+x o1'tr.mc.J tcaclicrs for tlrc post priniil~? i~lstitutions, tllc three !ears course fiv I C ; I ~ I I C ~ S 1\25 S I - ~ C J 21 '~';fh;l IIigI~cr Col lc~c in 19.72, Illis p ~ y r ~ ~ n m c \\,as l a t a J~s,du~intlcJ I I I 1 9 5 ~ 2lic.r liic 1:lcrgc.r of)'ilbs IhgIrc.rCollcpr \\ ILIILIIC U:i~\rrs~t! o f i b d a n

.-Is N I ~ I L I appro~i l~cd 111J~j)e11Jen;r, tllc IICCJ to tiiiklc Lhc s l ~ o m g s of high icvrl mmi~' \ \cr . i ~ ~ i i j ~ ! l t J . I l~c gi)\.Cnu\ltlit to C O I I U I I ~ S S I ~ I ~ the Aslib! Conunission to conduct an ~r~vcslig~tlon i l i1~ h'1pc112'b f l ~ t d 5 in 111~ ficld of post-school cert~fiiatc il:d higher eJuiiition o\cr tlic ns\t 2i) ? cars Its r c ~ o n ~ ~ n ~ ~ i d ~ t i o m among other dungs encourqrd Ihe c ~ ~ i ~ ~ ~ l ~ s l u l ~ c ~ ~ l of11dvwi~c.d 1 wi11c.r~' I ' r a ~ n i ~ ~ g Collcgcs (A.T.T.C.), s~~wsorc l l b!, Unesco

PKOBLEhlS COSFKOKTINC TEACHER EDUCATION I N NlCEKIA '1'11s status ot'reacliir~; is pcrrq~tlvcl?. lo\v in N ~ g m a . This trend ivas not oripnally so even tf~ourli tc;~clicrs' salary was not lh31 co:npcti:~vr. lhrin; t l~c nimlonnn and colonial ern, ILI. I i m \\ere seen as high chss civil scn'alits \\hoconib~ncd s e i u l a r a ~ l d ~ ~ l i s s i o ~ ~ ~ d ~ ~ t ~ c s . I ln\\cvcr, \vlth the advent of i n d q ~ c ~ i d ~ n c c . Lhi:lgs c I I ~ I I ~ J . Therc \\t ic notli.~&lc dr~fts I > thc dnllriictr;lt~ve scctors c .yu in l l \ b;: iexticrs, fdIo\\ing the rna1;s del-anurc of the . , ~ I ~ ~ I , I ~ ! ~i~!!qw\!cr 2nd pc!san11c.1, I 1 al'un\\z, 1~07) .

111c 11npxt of this trclid on the quality and valur.oithe tcachin~ profession and tclrcher cducarion \\a< rillher \,en. unsivon.. Ont IS that, the social idcritip of tcochcrs changed and ~ ; I S pcrccived as inferior to othcr lucrative professions. Two, bccausc of the flight of ccw1111ttcJ and trained re;ichcrs to o t h a sectors for grccncr paslurcs, pretenders who could nclt rct more Iuirilti\.~ oll'ers eIse\!i~erc readll\. took toleachm; a~ste]?p1:1~ stonts IOhmya, I '!K 1 1'1ius. ~wching as a profcss~m is I O & ~ being ir~crcasingl\regardcd as an occulxttion

Confcrmre on Organisat~on of Teachmg Profession 1961 ). This trcnd has ride tcac11111g the last hqwof U I ~ . hqxlrss, thus confirming !he much publicized dictum tll;~t IIWW \\hn can3 t m - h a d in some cases thosecm neitilcr do nor teach train teachers. ?his s i t u t ~ o n 1s so alarming and d~sturbmg hiit most parents hardly allou the11 nards under nonxd circumsQn:c.s to enrol for teacher e d u a t ~ o n programmes. Even t h o ~ ~ r h , thc 'National Yoilcyon 1,:Jucation' has wt Ihc NCE as the rnini~num tuching qtlalificat~on in Nipma, its ~m~lcmmbt ior~ is far from h n p rcdned In many states of Nrgcna, some teachers arc ! et to cb~aln n m tllc TCD nhich has h e n declared obsclete (The Punrh, 1997.p5).

E,cl-ci.d to thc a b v c 1s alzo thc fait dial Urc c ~ i ~ ~ r c q ~ ~ i r ~ . r ~ ~ ~ . n l s fur S O ~ I K o f h c tc;1;11~r eJu;;l~loii Frogramnics arc rclstrvel! I o n Thrs was nor in~tall!. h e case especrali! durmg thc nllsslona? era. In fact, as rU~nbote (1 996) has rightl!, ilsscrtcd, one important aspect of thc earl!. missionan teacher education programrnc is the qualit! of entrants into the ~Ied le r l ra i r i in~ Collrges.Ttme cntiranrs \\at: the best products o f ~ h c school systcm then and nrrr. selcc~ed for the teaching profession through some ~i_norous selection procedures. This na dosbt accounted for \\hy thc products of the teachers colleges in those days \\we abletoprovethcir \\orth in\\hatsva role. they\vere ass iped to in the society, This pahaps equall! nplaii~ed \\.by teachers \\-ere respected in the socicty at that time.

Tlieinmduction of variouspro_erammes in the coun- since 1955 contributed in many \\aysto1I!eacutc shorta_reofq~mlified t a c h a s . Firfl, to meet thegreat demand fortexhers, vclrlcw:. tCa:!~cr eduwtion progranunes a r e introducd on t e n i p o r i basis. Secondly, ~ I I C S C prop:n~nes opened the door oilhe teaching profession to all comers since the right t \ p o! ~exhcrs could not be got in suflicirnt nurnbcrs. This inevimbly led LO the widering do\ul oirhe adnlission requirements, which in turn did serious damage to the h a g e and swus of the teaclling profession.

Eve11 In rcccnt times thcre are man!' spurious and questionable wacher education pro;ra~unes \\llich seem to have u d e n c d the public image of teacher education. For In>Lillic. thc urious pm-ume/.sanduiclL/ distance leanling programmes embarked upon by uI~ur!i! ill1 the NCE ((: U.Ed degree awarding inst~tutiorls scan to have sacrificed qilality at t!ir alter of qu.~ntrty. Ihcsc p r o ~ a m w s a p x i from having ridiculously lo\v en= rqulrcnlcn!~.xl ;IS fund raisrn_r \.cnturcs for cash-strdppad institution~mnccmcdiObcmata, Is I h~ u C u oSrh~s, trot11 the p u b l ~ rcgs~d for tcaih~ng i ~ 1 3 the interest of prospective ci1trar:rs 11110 i t I I ~ I V C kc11 l o \ ~ ~ r ~ ~ .

.-211:rrl1cr I S S I I ~ t l l i l t must hr e\a:r.~n:d is tcachcrs concl~tion of scrvice. According to ..ltu\\c.n~ t I W j. sorile dctcnnrnmts oiloh si~t~slilctiun ~ncludc gtxd \!orhng env~ropmcnt, p o d ssl;rr\, protcss~orld gro\\ll~, rrsycms~hil~t!, fec1111g of nchicvcmcnt, etc. It is indeed not sn oicrstatellisnt t i ~ . ~ l trailicrs arc i~t~iung 1 1 1 ~ lnosi d~swtislicd p u p of \\.orhers in h '~gr . r~atd:~y. I l l s sure ofafl'kr has not onl) pi\cn I ! I ~ profession a ven poor s w a l status hur h;~. aggawtsd the c \ d u s of r t a c l ~ ~ r s to morc lucratiw jobs. Those ~ h o have rcmarncd to tcuil~ are hard! su~isl?~xi nilh ll~cjoh.

i\nothcr problm 1s thai ot ' s l ru~ursl d ~ i I i ~ t o ~ l l > \\itllin thc professio~iill hierarch1 of TCJZI~!II! For insiancc. flccrc is a d i s t ~ n i t i o ~ ~ bcr\wc.n p n n l q scllool tmchers and sc i s r~ ian si1100l ta i l ,htrs The wns d~scr~rn~natioil is ohscrvcd between University tc.aLl~crs i~nd Urosc III Co1le;r.s of LJucation. ?'Iris s e m s to waken thc influcncc and aitl\-ltlcs of professional assxiations espcr~iill!~, N~gcrian Union of Tcachcrs UI making tea.luny hint better rrcog11:ion. hdd, h i s discrimination is urulecessq since within

( 196 I ) and c \ w tlic various Icailtcr eJucation prograrluncs, pur into ionsidcratio~i both the inuncdiotr and loll: lcnn needs of the Nigerian society.

13caring in mind the aims of teacllcr education iis contained in the 'National Policy on Llu..:tion' (19Sl) \ \hidl i l~l11dc anlong others, trainins of cflicicnt. inquiry and creative ~ ~ i j l l J c J I C ~ ~ I I C ~ S , UII u c s~l! tlut tile actual implcnictltotio~~ of teacher education Ixcyrilmmes arc. reilll!~rcs~x~nding lo the aims of tcachcr educarion p r o p n u n c s in Nlpcria?

eiiintio~lal stahilit\.. sc.:1.;2- of humour and ~ ~ r w n a l attr;~ctii,c~~c.s.;). A lot ofcon.enl ha\ c hcm cxyrcs~cd in rccpc~!.ofprofc~sio~~al prcplration oftcachcrs

in Collc;es of Fducarion mil I!ni\.cr.;itics.i13alof 6,~~s:; CRcjc, 1986) Critics ;)re o f t l~c opinion t11;11 tcxhcr educcllion y r o p m T c s d \ \d l rfiorc on pedagogic Lno\\lcJ_ec at thc e\pcnsc of content, cspxi.';i311!. In s;ien& \.oiational ;~nd teclmiral courses (Falayajo, 1991)

azaJenlic proprnmes teachers writ through. For i n s ~ n s c , the NCE programrnc t c c s thc dilc~nn1.';i3 o f p rparinf subjec't spccialis~s or genera1linteipted subject teachers. In so many \\-a\-.. thc problcn bothers on rni.sj+mJ prioiities wliich arose bccausc oflack of iocus. The NCE no]]-praJwtt: teacher e d u d o n rrogran?nic as originally conmved \\-as not mcmt to be too scademic. But because many of the NCE Graduates teach in S c c o n d q Schools today, he tendency no\\. is to prepare secondary, rather than primary school NCE teachers.

Ilo\\cver, in r:..;vit ol'thr B.Ed programme, sonic critics fcvl h a t ~c.achers are no1 a;qilirln_r enough c o ~ l ~ c ~ i t for their jobs at the Senior Sccondq School 1cvc.l (Qhikllena, I < l - i > , Ohiah, 1989). 1l':nJccd I]rc!.arc, \\ h! is if Illill pc'oplcsre callinp for consccu!ivc ticr

of tcdchcr educarion 1 hc I ' r ~ l n ~ ~ n and Sccondiin. schml ttacllcr s no\\ have the a d d d burdc~i of ; x q ~ p l i n ~

nib lhr neu challcngcs uisirip from scii'ntil;.~. and t~iI~1010gi~itl dmands of O U T s~~ir ' l ! . Xiis situstisn iornpcls tecrchcr c d i u ~ t ~ o n to trail1 ~ 1 1 1 tc;~i.l~crs ill some general aieils like co:uptcr apprec~a!lon i i ~ d Crtnc.:.~! Siicnir Lrlo\\ IcJgc.

Another arc3 of deficiency in the preparation of the trainees is ill the internship or Traihlng Prac~ice. OIX basic characteristic ofa profession is a long jxriod of professional prepration. p q ~ of uhich must k resenrd for inteniship.

in teacher cdmition in Nigeria, C~is aspect has not heen tilkcn wry seriously like in the

rncdial and I c p l professions at l u s t in tcnns of duration arid conunitrncnt. l h i s could ~ w l l a p s esrlaln u h y sonie of tile so callcd ~ a i n w i t3chc r s hardl! e d i b l t cuouyh p~ofc'ssional sl:ills and acadsmrc compctcnx In the clas?;rwm (Obmcata. 1995).

should be a Rational Teach7 Registratiun Council. Although tlus council \\.as launchea as fai hack as 1987 at Kaduna by the National T m h m ' Institute, it5 impact is'yet to be felt. Thac.forcr, tlljs p ~ r suggests that this council bc urgently revitiiliwd to rcogniix and accolnJll&~e Lhree segments of Ihc teaaihug proression-pre-primary and p n n i q level, s c o n d q and pre-univers~ty level and the tcrliar) level. Thus. \\hen fully opu.rtional, it should q i s t c r , accredit, certii~ and rcp la tc thepracticeofthe tci+chin_eprofc.sslori, tomake 11 a viahlc ~ocation b!. the !-W 2010.

fifihlx, educat~on in general and t a a c r education in particular should be adcquatel!. fuii3c.d In fact \~r'cannot sh\ aria! from the fact that eduiar~on is a:) r'yxmstve \cnturl: and 11s under fundln,o Iias rc~ilallxd a p t ' ~ c ~ ~ i ~ a l problem In h'lgerla. 1'0 fund tcachcr cduatton effectively, govcmrnc~~t would need to provide facilit~es IAe ofi;ce furniture, laboratones, build morc olasnoorn \\oritshops, librarrcs, audio-visual materials, vcliichlrs w d other things that uould make tcaclung cnvironmcnt more conducive. Perhaps, private initiative in funding of education should be encouraged to complement povcmemt efforts. For instance. the education kc\ l e i ~ o n the public liability companies, the Petroleum Trust Fund end rhcEducation Rank Fund should be efl'ecttvely utilized to improve the qualityofteacha education and education in general.

The professional education of teachers should be encouraged along side nlastrq of sub$xt matter. In fact, attention should bc given to the prolcssional practice or Teaching l'raaice. Teachcrs should be e s p s e d :o an apprenticeship t!ps s>.stcm uhich nil1 assign students lo professional cenues (schools) for a minmum of six months. This \\ill help teactlers to be adequately equippcd to perform their duties and at the same tlme discourage those uho t ~ k e to tsochinf as n w e stepping stones. Professional practice is the core of tracher education. Thus, if a period of intcmship is introduced to expose studcnts to its c rwe rudiments ( a m and practice) tcacher education nil1 become more pwposeful and d~rect~onal than it is at prestnt.

Finall!., lacher eduatton both in tcnns of pre-senice and in-senice should be of priorir! to socictx. Trclcllrrs should be e \pscd to sein~i~ars, confcrcnces, shortcourses espxiall\ r~'fres11er COUISCS; ewn \\1111~' on the~oh in ordtr to equip than eli;.itt\'d!.for their r d t In a fast chanp~nr sx~et!.. T'caihcr ~n-scn.tic Lralning propanunes snould br. aimed a7 u;;qraJin,o a13 upk~tinr con;ptcricies of tcai.11r.r~ alrcad!. in-scrviCc in ordcr to make tllrm co:~tin~~ousl~* relcvar~t to nciv idcas. educa~ior~al pollcles, teaching methoJs and Lno\\lrd,oe. AJcqualc md rcpular supcn~s ior~ should hc. encouraged to sustain dsdtcat~on and commltnient.

COSCLVSION Teacher educalion as \vc have seen is crucial to the ovcrall dtvelopment ofanv nation Thus Ntgcria in her quest for teituiologic;ll mld scientific dcveloprnent cannot afford not to pay adcquate attcnt~on to the edu;atronoftracl~crs. In fact, it isone'scontention that tllc o v d l dcvrlopnmt of Nlgcriil could be jcopardlrzd if teacher education is not gtven adequate attention

ThcNigena of21 st centup ~ o u l d q u i r e direrent cdibres ofteachers in-order to fulfil her visionsin scwral spheres ofdn.clopment The calibre oftwchers rrqulrus greater dcph ofhonledge. increased skill in teaching, righ~ amtudeand ~mprord kunm rdathns and work environment.

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