TEACHER PREPARATION IN NIGERIA: CHALLENGES AND THE WAY FORWARD

Teacher preparation through education, training and development needs to be reformed to enhance the provision of highly motivated, conscientious and efficient classroom teachers for all levels of education in Nigeria. The Federal Republic of Nigeria recognizes the importance of teachers when it states that no nation can develop above their teachers. This paper therefore discusses the concept of teacher, teacher education and training, problems confronting teacher preparation such as poor funding of teachers’ training programmes, inadequate incentives and measures for attracting more talents into the teaching profession, low level of ICT penetration and utilization in the training and development of teachers, among others. The paper also proffers solutions that should be implemented to enhance teachers’ training, commitment and development such as; proper funding of teacher education and training programmes, adequate provision and effective use of technology in teachers’ training and development, re-assessment of the requirements for admission, graduation and recruitment of teachers, enhancement of conditions of service of teachers and reduction of brain drain phenomenon in the teaching profession, among others. The paper concludes that teacher preparation in Nigeria should be given adequate attention in line with current realities for optimum teachers’ performance.

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