The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has urged teachers to engage in technology and learning to remain relevant to learners’ aspirations in a fast-changing global environment.
These are part of recommendations from the 2023 Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) Online Annual Conference of Registered Teachers, made available to newsmen in Abuja on Saturday by the council’s Registrar, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye.
Ajiboye called on teachers to embrace technology and embark on professional development to make themselves technologically compliant.
According to him, teachers should imbibe a culture of self-development and learning through a positive attitude for learning, peer collaboration and cultures of trust and respect.
“Teachers should engage in lifelong learning be it formal or informal, personal or professional, to remain relevant to learners’ aspirations in a fast-changing global environment.
”This will ensure personal growth and secure the integrity of the teaching profession,” he said.
He said the 2023 theme of the conference tagged: “Promoting Community of Practice among Nigerian Teachers for Effective Service Delivery,” he said.
He called on stakeholders across the country to embrace and implement all recommendations made at the just-concluded conference.
He advised that following the recommendations would strengthen teaching and learning in the 21st Century in line with the Sustainable Development Goal four (SDG4).
“Records indicated that over 15,000 persons registered for the conference online among which over 12, 000 participants followed the live streaming on the Council’s and UNESCO’s social media handles.
”Also, 2,300 others participated in the programme via the viewing centres set up in States and the FCT,” he said.
He said the council, in the recommendations also advocated fostering of a supportive environment to inspire and motivate teachers through case studies and best practices.
Other recommendations are to promote the use of various digital tools by teachers for effective service delivery and for stakeholders to support teachers to nurture and sustain a teacher mentorship programme.
On technology integration, he said the council recommended the use of educational technology tools, online resources, community hub and virtual community of practice platform.
“Establish community centres with reliable internet connections in rural areas, Create and support community-based internet access hubs in rural areas to provide reliable and affordable internet connectivity to teachers to access online resources.
“Set up solar-powered or other alternative energy sources to ensure uninterrupted power supply, addressing challenges related to electricity availability,” he said.
Other recommendations are for stakeholders to collaborate with telecom companies and government agencies to improve internet infrastructure in underserved areas, as well as offer regular workshops and training sessions on digital literacy, targeting both basic and advanced skills, among others.
The conference was held with the support of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria(PLANE), Save-the-Children-International (SCI), Development Research and Project Centre (DRPC), and the TY Danjuma Foundation.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria