Okebukola, Tahir Now Professional Teachers ... as TRCN Professionalise Teaching.

By UCHE ANUNNE,
Tuesday, October 4, 2005.

PROFESSOR Peter Okebukola and Gidado Tahir, topped the list of teachers, recognised by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) as the council commence the issuance of certificates to professional teachers.

Professor Okebukola is the executive secretary of National Universities Commission while Prof Gidado Tahir heads the Universal Basic Education Commission, Both are professors of Education.

“The presentation of certificates today to registered teachers demonstrated a formed recognition of teaching as a registrable profession like its counterparts in other professions; declare the minister of education Mrs. Chinwe Obaji at the occasion.
The Minister pledged the commitment of the Federal government towards providing teachers the enabling environment to effectively discharge their responsibilities, as well as restore the diginity of the teaching profession.

Mr Musa Giwar, the Registra of TRCN said the registration of qualified teachers was aimed at weeding out quacks within the profession and restore ethical standards in teaching. He recalled that the process of registering the teachers encountered many obstacles prominent among which was the activities of Institute of Certificatied Teachers (ICTON) a body he described as having carried out fake registration of teachers. He said the exercise was also confronted by serious opposition from “ many unqualified teachers, especially in our Universities and Polytechnics”.

TRCN has registered over 600, 000 qualified teachers across the federation. The body was established by Act No. 31 of 1993 to regulate the teaching profession.

The occasion of the presentation of the certificates to the registered teachers also included with the commissioning of the 37m office complex of the commission and launching of the 1st Nigerian Journal of professional Teachers.