As the Federal Government unveils the activities for the commemoration of the 2021 the World Teachers Day (WTD), it commended teachers for preventing the collapse of education regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, gave the commendation, while unveiling activities for the 2021 celebration scheduled to hold on Oct. 5, at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
Adamu was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.
He said that the 2021 theme designated by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) elucidated how teachers all over the world ingeniously prevented the total collapse of the education system at the onset of COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, updates on the implementation status of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s landmark on the 2020 pronouncements for the approved strategies to reposition and revitalise the teaching profession would be discussed during the celebration.
“It is important to note that every year; the designated theme for WTD commemoration complements the UNESCO and International Labour Organisations’ (ILO) laudable recommendation of 1966 that highlighted the global recognition of the inestimable value of the teaching profession in nation building.
”The adoption of this recommendation by the UN on Oct. 5, 1994 is a milestone worthy of commemoration to continually add value to the status of teachers.
”The symposium comes up on Sept.30. It will create an avenue for experts in the profession to deliberate on the implication of the WTD theme as it affects teachers in Nigeria.
“The discussants are the chief executives of core teacher-education parastatals and the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT),” he said.
Adamu disclosed that the Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Prof. Olusegun Ajiboye, would be expected to discuss the WTD theme, ‘Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery’.
He said that Prof. Musa Maitafsir, the Director-General, National Teachers Institute (NTI), Dr Mike Ene, the Secretary General, NUT among others would present papers on designated topics to expound the WTD theme.
The minister added that the grand finale would come up on Oct. 5, with the ministry hosting the representatives of NUT nationwide and other dignitaries at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
He said that the meritorious winners of the Presidents’ Teachers Excellence Award for Best Public School, Best Approved Private School, Best Public School Teacher, Best Approved Private School Teacher and Best Public School Administrator would also receive respective coveted prizes.