European Union (EU) delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community Of West African States, have unveiled more initiatives to support Nigerian teachers in areas of professional development and personal resilience.
The delegation on Wednesday said it would work with six teachers’ training colleges in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Enugu, Katsina, Plateau and Oyo states.
The Head of the EU delegation, Samuela Isopi made this known during the launch of the second phase of the “Education and Youth Empowerment in Nigeria” initiative in Abuja.
Isopi, who was represented by a member of the EU delegation, Leila Matthieu, said the union decided to focus on teachers due to the challenges faced in terms of resources and the pressure of adapting to the rapidly changing educational environment.
“By empowering teachers, we are not only enhancing the quality of education but also ensuring that students receive the guidance and support they need to succeed in an ever-changing world.
“Specifically, the initiative will fund the development and review of education policies and career paths for the teaching profession in Nigeria. It will also ensure that teachers’ capacity and resilience are enhanced through pre-service and in-service teachers education programmes as well as strengthen teacher-student collaboration, and learning teams at school and community levels. This programme’s implementation is entrusted to our partner, UNESCO.
“The programme will work closely with the teacher training colleges from across the six states of Adamawa, Bayelsa, Enugu, Katsina, Plateau and Oyo, who will then reach out to a wider pool of teachers,” she said.
Also speaking at the event, the Resident Coordinator, United Nations, Muhammed Fall noted that the worrisome trend of teacher shortage must be stopped.
“We face the challenge of inadequately trained teachers in our schools. A 2021 report by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics states that sub-Saharan Africa faces the biggest challenge, with the lowest percentages of trained teachers in pre-primary (57%), primary (67%) and secondary education (61%) among all regions.
“The UNESCO Global Report on Teachers 2023, notes that teacher attrition is a global concern. Between 2015 and 2022, attrition rates of primary education teachers doubled around the world from 4.6 to 9 per cent. Regardless of the country’s income level and even remuneration, teachers are leaving the profession within the first five years of practice. We must halt this worrisome trend,’ he said.
