The Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, said Nigeria has shortage of 277, 537 teachers at the basic level.

Bobboyi noted that the number came about following the 2018 National Personnel Audit (NPA) report on Public and Private Basic Education Schools in Nigeria.

He explained that the personnel audit conducted by the UBEC, further indicated that while 73 per cent of those teaching in public schools are qualified teachers, only 53 per cent of teachers in private schools are qualified to teach, that is those that have the minimum requirement of Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and above.

He said: “Our hope is that with the current reforms that are being put in place where you attract the best candidates into the teaching profession and compensate them adequately, the narrative will change.”

A statement from the commission said the UBEC boss noted that the Commission in realisation of the importance of teacher in the provision of quality education, designated 10 per cent of the entire amount that is received from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for Teacher Professional Development through the States Universal Basic Education Boards.

“10 per cent of the entire amount that is received from the Consolidated Revenue Fund is designated for Teacher Professional Development through the States Universal Basic Education Boards. That is something that is very important for us to realise that we pump in a minimum of N10 billion every year for Teacher Professional Development in this country,” he said.

He however, appealed to stakeholders to join hands with Federal Government in ensuring that the quality of teaching and learning at the basic level of education in Nigeria is strengthened for the graduates of the system to be globally competitive.

He noted that the Commission feels this has to be done because it is essential for the teachers to be trained professionally, added that the quality of teaching given in the class is dependent on the quality of the teachers that are available.

According to him, one of the major challenges is getting qualified teachers to teach the children in the country, which he noted the Federal Ministry of Education was trying to address, saying for now every parent wants his or her child to study Medicine, Law, Economics, Engineering and host of others. (Daily Trust)