TRCN Inducts 900 Teachers In FCE (T) Umunze

…Rates College High in ICT

By Ifeoma Ezenyilimba

No fewer than 900 graduates of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, Anambra State, were on Friday, August 6, inducted into the teaching profession by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN). The inductees were among the successful candidates that sat for and passed the 2021 professional qualifying examination that was conducted by the TRCN in the institution.

Speaking at the induction ceremony, held at Dr Alex Ekwueme Auditorium of the College, the Registrar/Chief Executive, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Prof Josiah Olusegun Ajiboye, commended the leadership of FCE (T), Umunze, for what he described as the high premium which it gave to TRCN induction over the years.

He explained that the induction of teachers into the Council which had been an international practice, had remained a quality assurance benchmark in the drive for the professionalization of teaching.

The Registrar, who was represented at the ceremony by the Director, Regulation, Accreditation and Enforcement, TRCN, Mr Enilolobo Gbolahan, said the TRCN served as the gateway to teachers’ professional life, personal development and growth. He noted that the Council was established to bring about rapid transformation in the teaching profession, enhance the quality of teacher education programmes, and instil professional conducts into the teachers at all levels of the education system.

The TRCN boss, who said he was overwhelmed by the giant strides which the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, had made in practical teaching and formation, rated the College high in ICT compliance.

In her address, the Provost of the College, Dr. Tessy Okoli, said the institution keyed into the directive of the Federal Government to weed out unqualified teachers from schools. She noted that FCE (T), Umunze would not relent in its vision of producing quality teachers that would invest their knowledge and skills in the nation’s education sector.

The provost noted that at the inception of her administration, the Management laid out a clear policy on human resource development, and thereby encouraged both the teaching and the non-teaching staff to enhance their competence by pursuing further academic training and retraining programmes.

Pointing out that the career enhancement policy had remained effective till date, Dr Okoli, restated that the College which had remained a strong advocate of professionalism, had ensured that all the members of her teaching staff got the required certification.

‘It is pertinent to note that our partnership with the TRCN over the years, in the certification of qualified candidates has yielded huge benefits. Thousands of our College graduates who were inducted into the TRCN who currently serve in different capacities in schools across the country have distinguished themselves professionally. We are so proud of their achievements,’ the provost said.

She charged the new inductees to become the redemptive force of the teaching career by developing better attitude to work, and acquisition of new skills that would make them relevant in the current information age.

Also speaking, the Director, Professional Diploma in Education (PDE), and Desk Officer, TRCN, FCE (T), Umunze, Dr Cecilia Amuche Ekemezie, said the inductees were among the successful graduands, who sat for the 2021 professional qualifying examination held in the institution. She thanked the College Management for the support provided which she said, contributed to the success of the programme and teacher education in the country.

Responding on behalf of the inductees, Prof Paul Ejikeme of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), expressed delight over what he described as the quality of teaching and teaching staff for the College’s Professional Diploma in Education programme. He advised his fellow inductees to live up to professional expectations and become vanguards of positive change in the teaching career.

The highpoint of the ceremony was the administration of teachers’ oath of allegiance and presentation of the TRCN certificates to the graduates by the Provost, Dr. Okoli; Mr Gbolahan, and the Anambra State Coordinator, TRCN, Lady Rosemary Otikpa.

Other members of the College Management at the induction ceremony included the Registrar, Bessie Nkah; the Deputy Provost, Dr Christopher Ugwuogo; and the Librarian, Dr Samson Arome Agada.

In a related development, an Accreditation Team that was led by Prof Nkechi Esomonu of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, had also visited the College for the Resource Verification/ Re-accreditation exercise of the PDE Programme. According to the leader of the team, the accreditation was to ensure that the College met minimum standards.

The team at the visit, inspected learning facilities, as well as screened the teaching staff and other academic resource persons.