One of the Teachers participating in the ongoing teachers’ reality show organised by the ANUB media in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education and Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria has called on the government at all levels to prioritise quality education in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
Speaking on the sideline of the first eviction night of the show which aired on Saturday evening, one of the participating teachers, Wua Nsughve, from St. James African Church Primary School, Akinola Obafemi Owode, called on the government to focus on rural schools to motivate the teachers.
While hailing the organisers of the show, Nsughve noted that the show was a great platform to encourage Nigerian teachers and recognise them in their various works and experiences they go through in the course of discharging their duties and their services in their respective places of assignments.
“Over the years, there has been the general notion even among teachers that they are not regarded in the society.
“Teachers tend to be treated as though not really matter in the society as much as there’s a whole lot of people out there who come with testimonies of how their lives are transformed by virtue of the quality of work in the course of teaching them.
So the teachers’ reality TV show is a platform open to any teacher by virtue of his location the opportunity to be showcased,” he said.
Nsughve said the reality show had a lot of value and learning it could give to Nigerians while calling for sponsorship of the show to get more attention than some counterpart shows that do not portray moral values.
He commended the organiser of the show for giving teachers such a platform that could help impact the general lives of the citizenry.
He, therefore, appealed to the government to prioritise the teaching profession while giving attention to rural teachers.
“So, I think the government should prioritise the role of teachers because the teachers in a local community tend to automatically become of the leaders of the entire community.
“They tend to become the only source of valid information that the community has access to, become the only light for the children.
“If the status of teachers is upgraded, naturally there will be motivation for others out there.
When you go to classes, you find it easy for students to say I want to become a doctor when I grow up, I want to become a pilot.
“But you have to find ways students will be proud to say they want to become a teacher.
Also, teachers in rural communities tend to be neglected.
“These communities tend to be absolutely out of reach of basic amenities.
Government need to focus more on upgrading the status of rural teachers,” he added.
The Managing Director, ANUB Media Ltd., Mr Enuagwuna Ubaka, who is also the Convener of the TV show said the aim of the programme was to improve the teachers’ value in the society.
Ubaka, said the theme of the third edition of the reality show tagged: ‘ The Smart Teacher’, was to change the impression some people had saying the teaching profession was the poorest vocation.
According to him, the show is developed to positively showcase teachers and promote the worth of the profession in Nigeria.
“First of all, the theme for this season is a smart teacher.
So that means for you to come into the show, you must be a smart teacher, a teacher that should be able to think.
“A teacher that is able to create something out of nothing, a teacher that is able to work under pressure and a teacher that’s all-encompassing.”
The PUNCH reports that a teacher from Nawarudeen Primary School, Obafemi Owode, Ogun State, Precious Osemwonta is the first to be evicted from the show.
the show which commenced on October 22 with 19 contestants would run until November 20.
However, with the eviction of a contestant, the show is left with 18 contestants to jostle for the best three winners who would go home with outstanding cash prizes.
