Teachers Deserve Better Treatment, Welfare Packages – Prof. Ufuophu-Biri

By Daniel Dafe

Rector, Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara, Professor Emmanuel Ufuophu-Biri, has called for a better welfare package for teachers, saying teachers must be given the value they deserve and better treatment.

He said this while delivering a lecture titled ‘Toward the Empowerment and Improvement of Teachers and Transformation of Education: The Place Teacher, Achieving a New Social Contract.’

This was in line with the theme of this year’s World Teachers’ Day Celebration titled Valuing Teachers’ Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education.

The event held in Asaba on Saturday.

He noted that teachers are the providers of knowledge and the fundamental bedrock of society, saying that “without them, society remains stagnant in learning and development.”

In his words, “the presence of raw materials or natural resources is not equitable to national development.”

Adding: “What develops a nation is the human capital,” that he said teachers produce.

He said: “We can all agree that oil was abundant in Nigeria before the coming of the white man and before the discovery of oil and refining of oil. Despite the availability of crude oil our forefathers were not educated in the technology of oil exploration. The technology is a function of people training in that field and the experts’ training is the teacher’s handiwork.”

He continued: “Every facet of mankind, every discipline in humanity, and every pillar of development in society is virtually a function of professionals. Those professionals are products of education and education is the factory where the teachers work, and the teachers are the producers of the professionals. Therefore, no society can attain sustainable development without good teachers.”

According to him, there are many countries in the world with little or no viable natural resources that have become extremely developed more than those with natural resources because such nations like Japan, developed their human resources through teachers.

The don opined that “in those countries where education is highly valued, and where there is visible societal development, the teachers are paid generously.”

Furthermore, he said: “We are what we are today because of the excellent and dedicated teachers we have passed through in our various stages of life. Yet, these great men and women’s productive, educative, moralistic, credible voices are often overlooked or jettisoned in welfare package provisions, policy decisions and educational reforms.”

Meanwhile, he hinted that “policy formulators must quickly recognise that teachers are the curriculum experts, ⁠pedagogical innovators, mentors, role models, and⁠ ⁠agents of change,” just as he said that “without good teachers, society is doomed forever.”

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Continuing, Professor Ufuophu-Biri said that despite their vital contributions, teachers are often under-represented in decision-making processes, especially in education policy.

Ufuophu-Biri said that “society and people in authority must recognise that valuing teachers’ voices goes beyond mere consultation,” saying that “ít entails recognising their professional expertise, listening to their concerns, and providing them with the tools and support they need to thrive.”

Speaking further, he said “teachers must be involved in curriculum design, educational technology, and classroom innovation.”

On some of the challenges faced by teachers, he said they include problems of underfunded schools, inconducive workplaces, a dearth of necessary resources, inadequate respect for the teaching profession, emotional, physical, and financial stress, teacher shortages, ⁠lack of training, ⁠poor remunerations, and limited resources.

Other challenges he said are difficulty adapting to the era of rapid technological advancement and artificial intelligence.

Despite these enormous challenges, he said teachers were still forging ahead with their duties.

“Therefore, a new social contract for teachers requires adequate education funding and a fundamental shift in how society perceives and supports education and teachers,” he said.

“Teaching is the noblest and most selfless profession in the world. The teacher is the builder and sustainer of society. He lays the foundation for human growth and development,” he averred.

He said further: “I look forward to the day when teachers in Nigeria will be paid like their counterparts in countries such as Switzerland (an average of USD 69,000, about N113.16 million annually with primary school teachers starting at around USD47,500 = N77.9 million annually), Luxemburg (between USD64,000 and USD98,000 = N104.9 million – N160.7 million annually), Canada (about USD56,500 annually), Germany about USD64,000 annually); the Netherland (starting from USD36,000 up to USD60,000 annually); Australia (starting from USD60,000 to USD98,000 annually); Ireland (about Euro 48,000), UAE (about USD60,000 annually) and many more. South Africa, Botswana, Namibia (about USD30, 000 annually). We look forward to Nigerian teachers receiving at least 50% of the average of the above examples.”

He called on teachers not to give up no matter what they face as they go about carrying out their duties.

The rector added: “You are serving humanity. You are investing in human beings and not material things. Your reward is coming, and it is coming very soon. Just try to be excellent and selfless teachers.”