More teachers needed in Lagos public schools – NGO

 An NGO, Total Child Educational Foundation, Surulere, on Monday said that more teachers would be needed in Lagos public primary schools in spite of the 1,300 new ones being recruited.

Dr Bankole Sadipe, vice-chairman of the foundation, said that the fresh employment was commendable, but the government needed to do more.

He said that with over 1,000 public primary schools in the state, the number of teachers each school would get would be negligible.

Sadipe urged the Lagos State Government to recruit more qualified teachers in the state public primary schools.

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode had in September approved the recruitment of no fewer than 1,300 teachers into all public primary schools across the State.

According to him, the move is part of efforts aimed at strengthening the quality of the Universal Basic Education Programme in Lagos State.

The state government had, following the approval, directed applicants to apply and listed requirements for such employment.

The Executive Secretary of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Abosede Adelaja, had also said the exercise would achieve a balanced workforce of teachers in public primary schools in the state.

Sadipe, however, said that many public schools were short-staffed and available teachers could not pass on good knowledge to the students if they were overstretched.

He said that the standard and quality of teachings at the basic level were low and needed more attention.

“We have been working with all the 13 primary schools in Coker/Aguda LCDA for about five years and have discovered that most primary schools within the area are short-staffed. We also found out that the few available teachers were being overworked, while some teachers teach more than three subjects in a school. The number of teachers in Lagos State public schools should be tripled, while the existing teachers need regular training and retraining courses to be up-to-date. We are appealing to Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode to visit some of the schools to verify the findings. Education is very important; either public or private school, the children must get quality and the best,” he said.

Sadipe urged parents to be involved in the education of their children and wards by visiting schools to seek information about their performance.

He said it was worrisome that some parents were sending their children to schools in tattered uniforms, slippers and without books.

“Some parents do not place premium on the education of their children; they want government to provide everything while they do nothing. Parents, teachers and the government should work together to ensure that all children of school age are in school,’’ he said.