Kunle Adelabu
The Permanent Member, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB), Dr Saheed Oladapo Ibikunle, has tasked teachers to prove that they are leaders that can provide directions for the society during crisis and lead people into the future.
He gave the charge at the 2020 World Teachers’ Day celebration in Ikorodu held at the NUT House, Methodist Primary School premises, on Monday, October 5.
Ibikunle was the Chairman at the celebration which is being held annually to honour teachers globally. The theme for this year’s edition was, “Teachers: Leading in crisis, Re-imagining the future”.
The former Special Assistant on Education Management to former Governor Babatunde Fashola, SAN, who observed that the gathering did not observe the COVID – 19 protocols, charged teachers, whom he said would be in position to enforce the protocols when school fully resumed, to lead by examples.
While congratulating teachers globally on the celebration, the educationist also commended the Ikorodu NUT branch, led by Comrade Fakolade Oluwafemi Oluwaseun, on its laudable programmes for teachers.
“I commend the leadership of the union for the gym, cooperative and cars that will be given out to members. They are laudable but as teachers and colleagues, I want to reflect on the theme for this year’s celebration, ‘Teachers: Leading in crisis, Re-imagining the future’.
“If we must lead in terms of crisis like this, how fully prepared are we? If we should be re – imagining the future, how prepared are we for that task?
“While talking with the royal father, we discussed the failure to observe the NCDC rules at this gathering because we are not observing social distancing”, he said.
“I don’t know whether we have forgotten so quickly about our recent past and the protocols put in place by the government. These are some of the things that we are going to be checking when we get back to our various schools”, he said while reminding the teachers about the COVID-19 protocols at the occasion.
“At the entrance of our schools, we have banners with inscriptions, “No facemask, no entry”, and we are going to enforce that because we are expected to do that. We are supposed to be leading in a crisis. We are still in crisis.
“I can see that a lot of us here have seen ourselves for a very long time and as a result, cannot just help but shake hands and hug. I had gone to my car twice to sanitise because I cannot not see hand washing facilities and observation of other regulations around here.
“It is good to say all these because the theme of today’s celebration is challenging us as teachers that we must be able to lead in terms of crisis”.
Dr Ibikunle, while stating that he was a member of the school re –opening committee that planned the gradual re – opening of schools, said that two elements were key in their resolutions.
“Two elements are key in the re – opening of schools and that is where teachers come in. The first one is the provision of infrastructural needs in the schools like provision of water, hand washing facility, sanitiser, facemasks and all the rest, which are to help improve on health and hygiene”, he said.
“The second demand is about the readiness of teachers. That is, how ready would our teachers be to go back to school? And if we are ready, then, how ready are we to prepare the children for remedial classes?”
He also charged teachers to continually update themselves in their area of discipline, stating that that is the only way to lead their students and the larger society into the future.
“Don’t forget that you are going to be teaching students with mass promotion. Students of Primary Six are going to be promoted to JSS I, and others will be moving to the next classes without any assessment that could determine promotion and there will be a need for remedial classes and teachers should be ready to provide leadership because the achievement gap would be noticed.
“We are talking about equity in teaching these children. Some of them will be fast learners, some slow and while some will be catching up, others will not be able to. So, teachers are very key. They are germane and that is why the theme is challenging us to lead in crisis.
“Your ability to make these children have the same achievement goal at the end of the day is key and if we must do that, we cannot remain the same.
“I want to implore us as teachers that we should keep learning. There is a need for continuous professional developments of our teachers. As Head Teachers, Principals and administrators, you are leaders. In leading, we must keep to train and re – train and re – develop our teachers with what is in line with professional development all over the world. We cannot leave ourselves out of that.
“Our continuous professional development must not lack if we must truly lead in crisis; if we must truly re – imagine the future. I know that we are the future builders”.
