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Length of teaching practice and quality of teachers in Nigerian education system

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The rise to prominence of any educational system in the world is tied to the quality of teachers in that sector, which in turn determines the quality of products or outcome of the system. Following the short spell of student-teachers during teaching practice, Gabriel Alonta examines the effect of the short spell on the quality of teachers and its attendant consequences in the education system.

Teaching practice experience and the journey to becoming a future teacher are two Siamese twins because the former depends on the latter for meaningful outcome. Put differently, the period spent during teaching practice to a large extent, determines the quality of teachers produced in Nigeria’s education sector.

Teaching practice was provided to equip the student-teacher with the requisite knowledge and competence that will enable them hone their skills in the profession. It is also aimed at getting them acquainted with the ethics of teaching profession, aside the micro-teaching experience they have undergone in the schooling days.

In Nigeria, students who undergo one form of educational programme or the other to be certified as qualified teachers usually undergo teaching practice experience to farmiliarise them with the art of teaching, as well as expose them to the real world of work. The programmes include the Postgraduate Diploma in Education; National Certificate in Education; and degrees in Education; among other similar programmes.

Unfortunately, there is no data yet to quantify the contribution of teaching practice to the quality of teachers in the profession, given that the sector is flooded with unqualified teachers.

There are accusations by educational experts that teachers who fall short of standard or quality were either unserious or dispassionate about the field of teaching. Others assert that the poor treatment and remuneration profile of teachers are demotivating; hence the poor attitude to work in the noble profession.

The period spent in teaching practice ranges from three months (approximately one term) in the case of universities, to 10 weeks (for PDGEs) and one year in the case of (NCE), and so on. The time variation may have contributed to the poor quality of teachers in teaching profession.

Experts say that there must be a standard in the profession if things were to be gotten right, like in other professions such as medicine, pharmacy, law, and so on. According to them, teaching as a profession, ought to ensure that all activities carried out are in tandem for the overall good of the profession.

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Unfortunately, this is a far cry from the Nigerian situation. Undoubtedly, the goal of teaching practice exposure which is a carefully planned experience for would be teachers is fast degenerating, as evidenced by the number of unqualified professionals who parade themselves as certified teachers in the field.

Against this backdrop, it is conspicuously clear that senior teachers who are supposed to mentor the upcoming/younger teachers in the profession, exhibit poor attitude towards them. They, instead tie them with loads of work, such as, marking assignments and scripts; covering teaching activities for them when they are to be absent; grading as well as roll call; to mention but few.

The implication of the above is that the student-teachers become slaves to those teachers, and as such, will not learn much of the envisaged skills to be acquired in the programme, considering the time frame.

Mixed reactions have continued to trail such attitude of servitude imposed by senior teachers on the younger ones. Recently, the former Vice Chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike and Director Centre for Sustainable Development, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Ikenna Onyido, lamented that the Nigerian education system was under serial abuse in the hands of majority of its subscribers and authorities.

Onyido, who was the keynote speaker at the 55th meeting of the Committee of Deans of Postgraduate Schools in Nigerian Universities, noted that in the past, it was senior academics that mentored the younger ones by imparting academic principles and values in them.

He regretted that the business of mentorship had broken down completely in the universities and by extension, education system in the country.

Speaking on the theme, ‘The knowledge paradigm in the age of sustainable development: The relevance of the Nigerian Postgraduate School’, Onyido noted that majority of Nigerian senior academics/teachers were no longer interested in coaching the younger ones while the latter sees no need for undergoing mentorship.

Speaking exclusively to Orient Education, Prof. Lilian-Rita Akudolu, opined that the length of teaching practice in various tertiary institutions was not necessarily the root of unqualified teachers in the system, but the lack of effective supervision of practicing students.

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Akudolu, a Commonwealth Fellow and lecturer in the Department of Educational Foundation, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, argued that once proper supervision is carried out, three months of practice would be enough to acquire the necessary experience needed to consolidate the theoretical knowledge garnered over the years in the classroom by the students.

She maintained that the two supervisors assigned to the students ought to carry out the work of supervision on a regular basis during the period, regretting that lecturers mostly go once to supervise. This, she said, falls short of expectation and standard.

The educational expert frowned at teaching practice students who only are interested in teaching when there are rumours of the presence of their supervisors, pointing out that they ought to teach with utmost zest and commitment.

“Lack of proper supervision has made these students skip schools during the teaching practice exercise. They turn into ghost students, but when there is efficient supervision and implementation, the students can learn best during the three months spell”, she emphasised.

On whether to standardise the length of teaching practice to one year across all the tertiary institutions in Nigeria, the don said, “the time frame is not the problem, what we need is a complete re-orientation of those in schools and ministries, because teaching practice without adequate supervision is a mere child’s play. It does not lead to anywhere, what is required is that the three months be used effectively”.

She, however, lamented student-teachers’ bossy attitude towards their senior teachers, which has prompted teachers to leave them on their own devices, saying that the teachers ought to provide guide that will complement what the supervisors do.

Describing lecturers who extort money from the student-teachers during their supervision as unprofessional and terrible, she said that it was professionally and morally wrong for them to do so.

She advised those found wanting to put a stop to it, noting that they were paid for the supervision job.

Teachers and teaching as an aspect of education system, remain the backbone of any meaningful education system the world over. For Nigeria to achieve much in her education sector, adequate attention must be given to the teachers as the hub of the sector.

The institutions in charge of training teachers in various programmes, must ensure that they supervise them rightly. Perhaps, it is time to look at calls to extend the period of teaching practice experience that the students have to undergo to enable them adjust better in the profession.

Furthermore, the supervising teachers should ensure they carry out their assignments properly rather than extorting the student-teachers to award them good grades. Similarly, senior teachers should support the practicing teachers as much as possible, and not dump their jobs on them.

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