Army officers matriculated into PDE programme
The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has taken its campaign against quackery in teaching profession as it recently matriculated some top officers of the Nigerian Army School of Medical Sciences, Ojo Cantonement into its Professional Diploma in Education.
Provost of Topmost College of Education (TOPCOED) Dr (Mrs) Mabel Odunayo where the army officers are being admitted to run the PDE programme said one of the core values of the College is the passion for education of which the College has been hoisting the banner of qualitative education thus collaborating with TRCN in its bid to eradicate quacks and sanitise the teaching profession.
She urged the matriculants to take full advantage of the PDE programme which aims at making them professionals through the acquisition of thorough teaching techniques as well as custodian of TRCN certificate.
“You are a professional teacher who can legally parade yourself as a lecturer depending on the level of institution you find yourself. TRCN professional certificate in addition to your academic qualifications put you in a vantage position to lecture inside and outside the country”, she said.
The immediate past commandant, Nigerian Army School of Medical Sciences, Ojo Cantonment, Brigadier-General Solomon David said the matriculants comprise of instructors of the various disciplines being offered in the School saying the School runs technical and technician programmes up to HND level,
He said the School runs courses such as Dental technology, Environmental Health, Health Information Management , Dental Therapy, and technician courses such as physiotherapy, radiography, pharmacy, medical lab science technician, and mortuary course .
Talking about professionalism, the chief of army staff who is our father in the Nigerian Army , also spoke about being professional in anything we do, and I felt the teachers of these courses should also be professionals because a time may come where TRCN, as a regulatory body may come to the school and close it down because our instructors are not certified so in order to avoid that as law abiding officers , we decided to key into the vision of the TRCN to ensure that all our teachers are certified with the correct techniques of teaching.
Lagos State Director of TRCN, Mr Gbolahan Enilolobo said the history of Professional Diploma in Education came as a clarion call by thye National Council of Education (NCE) which is the highest policy making body on education during one of its sessions when the year 2006 was fixed as deadline for unqualified teachers in Nigeria to get a requisite teaching qualification or leave education system.
“The PDE is an internationally acclaimed programme with rich contents, flexible in mode of delivery, which allows specialization for teachers at the various levels of the education system.
He applauded Topmost College of Education for collaborating with TRCN in the areas of registering and licensing matriculants before the end of session adding that this will in no small measure contribute to the progress and development of the teaching profession.
Enilolobo said teachers education is a serious business and must be treated as such adding that the best brains ought to be in teaching because teachers make the rest of the professionals.
Esther Taiwo
