By IJENDU IHEAKA

Nigeria needs 1.2 million teachers to fix its teacher deficit crisis, Hajia Rabiu Adamu, Chairperson of the Governing Council, Federal College of Education, Ofeme Ohuhu, Abia, has said.

Adamu said this on Friday during the matriculation of the pioneer students of National Certificate of Education (NCE), held at the college premises.

She said a school should have a ratio of one teacher to 25 students but regretted that in Nigeria’s case, some schools operate a ratio of one teacher to 300 students.

“The biggest crisis in Nigeria is the teacher crisis where we have a gap of about 1.2 million teachers.

“We need 1.2 million teachers minimum for Nigerian classes to be adequately provided for,” she said.

She therefore urged the matriculating students to focus on their studies and stay in the teaching profession to meet the teacher-students requirements if they wanted a better future for Nigeria.

Also speaking, the Provost of the College, Dr Titus Ezeme, said the first Matriculation of the institution which was established on May 28, 2023, marked a new dawn in Abia’s educational landscape.

He said the visit of the Resource Verification Team of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), in December 2024, provided the school with the right foundation to build up on.

He said the team approved six academic schools and 29 academic programmes for the college which ensured that the school was not an experiment but fully accredited for teachers training.

Ezeme said the academic journey of 150 pioneer matriculating students which began with full academic activities on June 24, rests on a firm foundation.

Ezeme appreciated Dr Michael Igwe and Dr Chris Nwosu both medical practitioners in the United States of America, for the award of scholarships to 30 and 20 students respectively.

He also thanked Mr Anderson Akaliro, representing Umuahia North at the Abia House of Assembly and Chief Godwin Anyaogu, all sons of Ofeme for sponsoring ten students each.

He further thanked the Federal Ministry of Education for awarding the construction of a 74 – room female hostel in the school to ease accommodation problems.

Ezeme called for the intervention of philanthropists to meet some of their needs such as multipurpose hall, hostels, perimeter fences and operational vehicles among others.

A politician and student, Chief Chinedu Obilor aka Fayose, who was among the matriculants said he had always nursed the ambition of getting higher education but was delayed by family responsibilities.

He said he was happy to have returned to school after many years of being discouraged by the collapse of their school building in Port Harcourt leading to his opting to learn a trade.

Obilor said now that he had gain d admission, he wouldn’t allow any distractions while promising he would study hard to earn a doctorate degree.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the institution matriculated 153 students across six academic Schools and 29 academic programmes.

NAN also reports that according to data obtained from the Universal Basic Education, only 915,913 teachers are available for no fewer than 31,771,916 learners in public and private primary schools nationwide. (NAN)