Education stakeholders in Kano State have called for a shift in mindset towards the teaching profession, emphasizing that it should be seen as a noble career rather than a fallback option.

The experts stated this on Friday at a one day roundtable discussion on the challenges of education quality assurance in Kano State systems, organized by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD).

Speaking at the event, Mijitapha Rano
lamented that many individuals enter the teaching profession by accident rather than by passion.

“We must embrace teaching as a profession, not as a last resort when other jobs are unavailable. The quality of education depends on the commitment of teachers, and that commitment can only come when teaching is seen as a career of choice,” he said

He advised that the training and retraining of teachers should be done frequently as a way to change the perception.

According to him, subject-based training should be prioritized to ensure that teachers are properly equipped for their roles.

“English teachers should be trained in English, Mathematics teachers in Mathematics. Combining all subjects into a single training and calling it capacity building is a major flaw,” he stressed.

The stakeholders also decried the political interference in the recruitment of teachers, stating that unqualified personnel were being given teaching positions at the expense of competent candidates.

“We call on stakeholders to address the issue of overcrowded classrooms which makes it difficult for teachers to effectively engage students, limiting their ability to provide individual attention.

“This, in turn, affects the recommendations that quality assurance officers can make regarding classroom management and instructional methods. Ultimately, classroom congestion impacts the quality of instruction, which then affects the overall competence and performance of students, leading to a decline in the quality of graduates from the school system.

They urged the government to demonstrate strong political will and commitment to education reform.

The experts emphasized that leadership at all levels of the education sector should be handled by professionals with relevant expertise.

A speaker at the event questioned the practice of appointing commissioners without a background in education.

“How can you appoint someone who is not from the education sector to lead education in the state? In the health sector, the commissioner is always a professional. Why is education treated differently?” he asked.

Participants urged the government to ensure that future education commissioners have a strong background in the field, arguing that only someone with deep knowledge of the sector can effectively address its challenges.

Professor Garba Sa’ad of Bayero University, who moderated the panel, also lamented that the lack of an effective quality assurance mechanism was another major concern.

“Many quality assurance officers lack the necessary mobility, funding, and incentives to perform their duties effectively.

“How can an officer conduct school inspections without a vehicle or an allowance? Many times, they have to use their own money, which discourages them from doing their work properly,” he added.

To address this, the experts recommended the establishment of fully funded quality assurance offices in every educational zone, as well as annual education quality assurance conferences to review progress and recommend solutions.

They further called for community involvement in addressing the challenges of education quality assurance in Kano State systems.

“Communities must take an active role in monitoring schools. Education is a collective responsibility, and without strong community involvement, reforms will be difficult to sustain.”

The experts stressed the urgent need for reforms to improve teaching standards in the state.

Embrace teaching as profession, not second option – Educationists