By Adebayo Olodan
Government at all levels and proprietors of schools in the country have been urged to pay premium attention to welfare of teachers and to always guide against engaging unqualified teaching personnel.
The Guest Speaker, Dr Abdullahi Olokoba, who is also the Deputy Provost, Kwara State College of Arabic, Islamic & Legal Studies (CAILS), Ilorin, stated this on Saturday, during the Moving-Up and Prize Giving Ceremony of Skill Builders Academy (SBA) in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
Olokoba, who spoke on the topic: “The Teacher; what will next generation be?, ” described teachers as the main determinant of qualitative education adding that, “if they are apathetic, uncommitted, uninspired, lazy, unmotivated and immoral, the entire nation is doomed.
“If they are ignorant in their discipline and impact wrong information, they are not only useless but dangerous. The kind of teachers trained and posted to schools may well determine what the next generation will be,” he said.
Olokoba added that teachers must engage students in project-oriented tasks and encourage them to work in a group as well as individually.
In his remarks, the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Pedro Awili represented by his Assistant, Quassim Sheriff, said giving the security challenge the country is currently battling with, there is the need to create security awareness in the children at their early stage as the future of tomorrow.
“You will be shocked to hear that we now have schools where our children between the ages of five and eight are being taught the different types of guns and how to handle weapons.
“We need to teach our children safety tips and security measures as they grow up for our society to be a safer place,” he stated.
Speaking further, Awili said the corps is lining up a programme tagged; Young Defenders and the Skill Builders have been chosen as the pilot school for the scheme.
The Chairman of the event, Prof Medinat Salman, commended the efforts of the management for the growth recorded by the school and enjoined them to continue in that trend.
In her goodwill message, the Zonal Coordinator of Quality Assurance Bureau(QAB), Ilorin West, Alhaja Maridiyat AbdulRahman, urged the teachers to always see themselves as role models to the learners, adding that parents should always check the books of their wards.
Earlier, the Director, Adebayo Dan’Azumi highlighted the activities of the school in the 2016/2017 academic session, adding that the final year learners performed remarkably in both external examinations and competitions.
“I am delighted because the responsibility that we took as a school few years ago is on the verge of fulfillment. All our Skill Builders in various classes are moving up the ladder of their educational pursuit.
Dan’Azumi, went further to appreciate the efforts of the Parent-Teacher Forum (PTF) for their unflinching support and the opportunity of bringing their children’s potentials to reality.
A total of 12 prizes were given to both pupils and employees of the school with Alege AbdulBaki and Sulyman Meridiyat emerging the Overall Best and Best in Learning & Character, respectively. Also, Elizabeth Ajibade went home with three prizes as the Teacher of the Year.
