Tag Archives: Secondary

FG re-introduces teaching of History in primary, secondary school.

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The federal government has finally re-introduced History as one of the subjects in the nation’s primary and secondary schools’ curriculum, explaining that its introduction as an independent subject and not a mere theme was necessitated by the clamour and concerns by several groups, including the Presidency, National Assembly and other critical stakeholders in the education sector.

The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, had urged delegates to the recent National Council of Education, NCE, to consider the disarticulation of social studies in the current curriculum and re-introduction of History as a subject, adding that leaders in the education sector committed “a mistake” by removing History.

Speaking on Thursday at the flag-off ceremony for the Disarticulation of History from Social Studies Curriculum in Abuja, Adamu stated that the learning of History will enable children in the earliest stage become well enlightened citizens of the society who respect diversity and strive for attainment of the unity of Nigeria as one indivisible entity.

He called on experts involved in the disarticulation exercise to develop curricular objectives and contents that will lead to positive learning outcomes.

“I, therefore, urged all stakeholders, state governments, honorable commissioners of education, schools, teachers, and parents to embrace and key into this development and ensure a proper implementation of the history curriculum when it is finally developed,” he said.

The minister further assured that the federal government was poised to introduce positive changes in education in a way that will enhance the socio-economic development of Nigeria.

His words, “The Federal Ministry of Education recently developed its plan: on Education for Change: A Ministerial Strategic Plan (2016-2019), which contains several initiatives and activities to be executed, including the disarticulation of social studies and reintroduction of the teaching of history in primary and junior secondary schools.”

Adamu disclosed that the plan document was approved by the National Council of Education, NCE, at its 61st Ministerial session of 27th – 30th September, 2016.

“Following this, the National Education Research and Development Council (NERDC), the agency that has the mandate to develop curriculum especially at this level, was directed to start the process of disarticulating history from social studies,” he said, assuring that the different stages for the execution of the project would be pursued vigorously and efficiently to its logical conclusion.

Pay us our salaries, Bayelsa teachers tells Governor Dickson

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Primary and secondary school teachers in Bayelsa State, Wednesday, deplored eight months of unpaid salaries and marginalisation in the state appealing to the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to pay the arrears.

Marking Teachers Day in low key at their secretariat in Yenagoa, the teachers, under the auspices of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) said Bayelsa’s educational sector was replete with crises.

The state Chairman, NUT, Mr. Kalama John-Tonpre, reeled out the problems facing teachers in the state as non-payment of salaries for about eight months; non-implementation of teachers promotion over the years and non-payment of annual increments.

Others, according to him, are abdication of primary schools’ responsibilities by the state government and illegal dismissal of teachers employed in 2008 and 2009.

John-Tonpre among others, further decried shortage of teachers without recruitment in the school system and non-provision of instructional materials.

He said: “Some protracted but unattended issues in the sector are over-populated classrooms, poor standard of education resulting from poor funding, inconsistency and non-implementation of education policies.

“Also, there is frequent disruption of the school system, moral decadence of the youth and eventually the underdevelopment of the state.”

The NUT boss, however, acknowledged some efforts of Governor Seriake Dickson in educational development such as the construction off senatorial model schools, establishment of Teachers Training Institute (TTI) and repositioning the Isaac Adaka Boro College of Education.

He regretted that teachers were suffering from marginalisation in the state and the country.

“The current problems of the society characterised by disease, poverty, unemployment, kidnapping, militancy, injustice, lawlessness, greed for political powers and lack of conscience for humanity are all traced to the agonies of teachers”, he said.

John-Tonpre appealed to the state government to as a matter of urgency satisfy the genuine demands of the teachers in the interest of advancing education for the benefit of the underprivileged in the state.

He said: “Currently, so many teachers have retired and about a good number of teachers were dismissed from the school system with no recruitment of new ones to replace them.

“Consequently, some primary schools in Bayelsa State have no single teachers to teach the children – our future leaders. The issue deserves urgent attention as it portends danger at the foundation level of the education system.”

He urged the state government to reinstate the dismissed teachers and recruit more teachers to fill the vacancies created in various schools across the state.

He said: “Currently, so many teachers had retired and about a good number of teachers were dismissed from the school system with no recruitment of new ones to replace them. Consequently some primary schools in Bayelsa State have n single teacher to teach the children, our future leaders.

“The issue deserves urgent attention as it portends danger at the foundation level of the education system. The NUT, therefore, calls on the state government to urgently reinstate the dismissed teachers and recruit more teachers to fill the vacancies created”.

John-Tonpre also appealed to Governor Seriake Dickson to take up the responsibility of paying primary school teachers’ salaries because the councils alone could no longer bear such responsibility.

Speaking at the event, the National President, NUT, Mr. Michael Olukoya, in his address read by the state Secretary, NUT, Mr. Jonhson Hector, called on the Federal Government and the relevant authorities to consider raising retirement age of teachers from 60 to 65 years.

Olukoya further appealed to the Federal Government to ensure that only professionally trained and qualified persons were engaged in the proposed recruitment of 500,000 teachers to promote professionalism and effective service delivery.