Question: Who is a teacher?
Answer: A teacher is a person who has acquired skills or is someone who has been trained to train people. In other words, a teacher is someone who has been trained to impart knowledge unto people.
Question: What does it take to be a teacher?
Answer: A person who intends to become a teacher, should first make up his mind which field he wants to go into; science, commercial, arts subjects. It is this that will determine the choice of subject that he is going to do in his SSCE, JAMB or PCE. You are expected to meet the cut-off point of the institution of your choice as well as pass the newly-introduced post-JAMB examination [for university].
If you decide to go and study education in the university, it is expected that you should be in the faculty of education where people are trained about their subject course of study as well when they finish their training in the institution. They will also be trained with regards to the psychology of teaching, teaching methods, teaching assessment techniques among other things. With this, the person will graduate as a complete teacher. You can also attend any of the colleges of education [which is mainly established to train people to be teachers].
Question: How long does it take to become a trained teacher?
Answer: If takes about 4 years if one decides to study education in the university. Out of these 4 years you are expected to go for teaching practice in your second year and the third year. At the end of your program in the university, you graduate with Bachelor of Arts in education or Bachelor of Science in education [BA Ed, B.Sc. Ed]. If you decide to go and study in the college of education, you are expected to use 3 years with one year for teaching practice. Question: After graduation what next? Answer: As a graduate, you are expected to undergo one year of youth service [NYSC] after which you are now a qualified teacher. Question: What further education can be taken by a teacher? Answer: One can proceed to obtain a Masters degree in education [M .Ed].
You can also proceed to obtain a doctorate and later become a Professor if you decide to stay within the academic system in the University. Question: What is your advice for the youths? Answer: People tend to look down upon people who study education or are teachers. But the truth is that teaching remains one of the noblest professions. Without any doubt the society can not function without teachers.
All Prophets of Allaah were teachers in their own rights. Therefore you should not be discouraged by what people say. Also, the government should encourage people who are teachers by remunerating them properly. The society should also accord the teachers the respect and honour that they deserve. These questions were answered by Mr. Alabi Hamza. He is trained teacher who has put more than 20 years into the teaching profession.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited