World Teachers Day 2020 Opportunity To Recognise, Commend Their Sacrifices — Prof. Ibe

As the world celebrates international day of teachers, the Chancellor of Gregory University Uturu Prof Gregory Ibe has said this year’s celebration is opportunity to recognise and commend sacrifices teachers make.

He said teachers saved the education sector from imminent crisis as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak by switching on to virtual knowledge transfer method.

In a statement on Sunday by the Deputy Registrar and Media & Public Relations officer of the University, Sleek Ogbonnaya Ogwo, Prof. Ibe further commended the selflessness, devotion and courage teachers have exhibited even in the face of what he called ‘debilitating challenges’.

“Prof Ibe who also doubles as chairman of Committee of Proprietors of Private Universities in Nigeria, specially saluted teachers for saving the education sector from imminent crises by switching to the online method of knowledge transfer during the season of total lockdown. According to him, The celebration of this years edition of World Teachers Day affords us the opportunity of recognizing and commending the unparalleled sacrificial diligence of our teachers and their proactive act of saving the education sector from crises by seamlessly switching to the online method of knowledge sharing during the harrowing days of total lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 global pandemic” the statement said.

While making case for enhanced salary structure for teachers, Prof. Ibe said time has come when teachers should be receiving their rewards on earth, instead of heaven, adding that it stunts development in the sector.

“He therefore advocated for comprehensive review of the remuneration of teachers in recognition and appreciation of their strategic importance to societal development, stressing that a sufficiently motivated teacher is panacea to under development and retrogression. According to Prof Ibe, the present practice of insisting that teachers should receive their reward from heaven alone should be discarded. He enjoined all beneficiaries of services rendered by teachers to ensure that they conversely return appropriate rewards to them, stressing that past students should form the habit of visiting, honoring and appreciating their teachers all the time.

“It will be recalled that UNESCO proclaimed 5 October to be World Teachers Day in 1994, celebrating the great step made for teachers on 5 October 1966, when a special intergovernmental conference convened by UNESCO in Paris adopted the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, in cooperation with the ILO. The recommendation sets forth the rights and responsibilities of teachers as well as international standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, teaching and learning conditions” the statement added.