PREPARING TEACHERS FOR THE CHALLENGES OF VISION 20:2020 Abstract An unbiased in-depth examination of the situation of things in Nigeria clearly shows that the Nigeria Vision 20:2020 and its precursors: the Seven Point Agenda and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are not achievable by the target dates. They may not even be achievable by the end of this century unless Nigeria goes through a rebirth. The challenges, which are all Nigerian made, are enormous. As regards preparation of teachers for the challenges of the Vision, it is a herculean task because the right people to prepare are not easy to come by; and the right people to prepare them are also not there. The right people left in the teacher training vineyard are very few and on their way out of the system. The proposed possible solutions to the whole scenario include making teacher training in Nigeria 100 percent free with added incentives, clear definition of career patterns for teachers, excellent emoluments, rigorous selection process for university teachers, adjustments in teacher education curricula, establishment of model Universities of Education, and last but not the least, absolute re-orientation of Nigerians.

1. PREPARING TEACHERS FOR THE CHALLENGES OF NIGERIA VISION 20:2020
BY
PROFESSOR ALPHONSO I. IKEOTUONYE, FNAE.
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA, ABUJA

2. PREPARING TEACHERS FOR THE CHALLENGES OF VISION 20:2020
Abstract
An unbiased in-depth examination of the situation of things in Nigeria clearly shows that the Nigeria
Vision 20:2020 and its precursors: the Seven Point Agenda and the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) are not achievable by the target dates. They may not even be achievable by the end of this
century unless Nigeria goes through a rebirth. The challenges, which are all Nigerian made, are
enormous. As regards preparation of teachers for the challenges of the Vision, it is a herculean task
because the right people to prepare are not easy to come by; and the right people to prepare them are
also not there. The right people left in the teacher training vineyard are very few and on their way out of
the system. The proposed possible solutions to the whole scenario include making teacher training in
Nigeria 100 percent free with added incentives, clear definition of career patterns for teachers, excellent
emoluments, rigorous selection process for university teachers, adjustments in teacher education
curricula, establishment of model Universities of Education, and last but not the least, absolute re-
orientation of Nigerians.
1

3. Introduction
The focus of this paper is preparation of teachers for the challenges of the Nigeria
Vision 20:2020. However, the paper will first define the route to the preparation;
and this definition of route includes a detailed assessment of the achievability of
the Vision itself and its precursors, namely, the Seven Point Agenda and the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This route definition is considered
necessary because, as the writer always states, if an individual does not know
when he gets into the rain, he will not know when he gets out of it.
Vision 20:2020
It is stated in the document ‘Vision 20:2020 Economic Transformation Blueprint’
(2009) that
by the year 2020, Nigeria will have a large, strong, diversified, sustainable
and competitive economy that effectively harnesses the talents and energies
of its people and responsibly exploits its natural endowments to guarantee a
high standard of living and quality of life to its citizens (p. 9).
In order to achieve this, according to the same vision statement, a Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) of not less than $900 billion is required. This translates to a
National per capita income of not less than $4000 annually by the year 2020. It is
also stated that another implication of the Vision 20:2020 is that Nigeria’s
economy must grow at an average rate of 13.8 percent during the period.
Another expectation is that by 2020 Nigeria will generate 60,000 megawatts of
electricity.
The objectives of Vision 20:2020 have social, economic, institutional and
environmental dimensions. The social dimension envisions an equal society that
can sustain a life expectancy of at least 70 years.
2

4. The economic dimension envisages a vibrant economy whose manufacturing
sector can contribute at least 25 percent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The institutional dimension expects a stable democracy; while the environmental
dimension envisions effective management of our natural environments. It is
pretty clear, from the objectives, that the Vision 20:2020 is a grandiose
adventure. The question is: Is it achievable?
The Present Situation of Things in Nigeria
A good question to ask is: Where is Nigeria this year 2010? From Wikipedia
(http://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/ , the list of countries by GDP shows that Nigeria
occupies the 41st position, with GDP of $207,116 million by 2008 International
Monetary Fund ranking; 38th position with GDP of $212,080 million by 2008 World
Bank ranking; and 44th position with GDP of $165,400 million by 2009 CIA World
Fact book ranking. It is very easy to see the yawning gap between the GDP of
$900 billion required by 2020 and the present situation.
From recent Nigerian Television Authority news, it is known that Nigeria at
present generates about 3,700 MW of electricity. The nation had a target of 6,000
MW by December 2009, and came abysmally short of that. One can also see the
gap that exists between the projected requirement of 60,000 MW of electricity
required by 2020 and the current capacity of 3,700MW. It was stated earlier that
the social dimension of Vision 20:2020 envisions life expectancy of at least 70
years for Nigerians. The Human Development Index Report 2007/2008,
presented in the Nigeria Vision 20:2020 Economic Blueprint (2009), shows that
life expectancy in Nigeria at birth was 46.5 years in 2005. With almost 70.8
percent and 92.4 percent of Nigerians living below income poverty line of one
dollar and two dollars a day respectively, one may suggest that life expectancy is
likely to drop rather than go higher than the present level.
3

5. At present, the growth rate of Nigeria’s economy is 7. 4%; and the industrial
sector contributes only 4% to the GDP.
The Precursors of Vision 20:2020
In order to get a more comprehensive idea of the present economic situation in
Nigeria, we need to have a quick look at what might be described as the
precursors of the Vision 20:2020; namely, the Seven Point Agenda and The
Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
The Seven Point Agenda
The Seven Point Agenda encompasses the following areas:
1. Power and energy
2. Food security and agriculture
3. Wealth creation and employment
4. Mass transportation
5. Land reform
6. Security
7. Qualitative and functional education
Power and energy
Everybody in Nigeria knows that the situation of power and energy is very
worrisome, to state the least. The Federal government of Nigeria promised that
by December 2009, electricity generation would go up to 6,000 MW. Today the
Power Holding Company of Nigeria is struggling to maintain the 3,700 MW
currently generated. It is already stated that for the Vision 20:2020 to be achieved
the target is 60,000 MW. It is clear that with the present power and energy
situation, the expected industrial development is a bad dream.

6. 4
Food security and agriculture
The Seven Point Agenda expects a “5-10 fold increase in yield and production”;
which would result “in massive domestic and commercial outputs and
technological knowledge transfer to farmers”
(httpi//www.nigerianmuse.com/20070930075420zg/spotlight/govern…).The
writer knows that this is an empty promise. The likely thing to happen is that food
prices will continue to rise. Many more Nigerians will go hungry. Thus, the idea of
food security is a farce.
Wealth creation and employment
One can observe some efforts here and there to help the teeming unemployed
and unemployable youths in Nigeria to acquire some skills and become useful to
themselves and society. However, to the best of the writer’s judgment, the efforts
do not amount to more than a few drops in the ocean. As regards wealth
creation, Nigeria’s economy is hopelessly dependent on crude petroleum exports.
Abject poverty stays over 70 percent of Nigerians on the face. Nigeria is still
ranked among the poorest countries in the world.
Mass transportation
Efforts in this area are a far cry from the objectives of the agenda. Most Nigerian
roads are in a very bad state of repair. Water transport is yet to become a reality.
Only God knows when the dredging of the River Niger will be completed. Air
transportation is faltering to the extent that the Central Bank of Nigeria had to
work out a rescue package for it. Rail transport is still virtually in the pipeline.
Thus reliable, sustainable mass transportation is still a dream in Nigeria.
Land reform
There is ongoing discussion of land reform in Nigeria. To the best of the writer’s
knowledge, it is all talking and no action yet.

7. 5
The first term of the present federal government remains about six months; and
land reform is still at the discussion stage. The question is: Will the next four years
see anything concrete in land reform?
Security
When the State and Federal governments of Nigeria talk of security, it is only on
their lips and minds. With each day that passes insecurity of lives and property
increases. There are the religious and tribal conflicts which usually leave hundreds
of people dead and hundreds of others maimed. I do not think that you have
already forgotten the recurring Jos crises, the recurring Boko Haram onslaught on
the nation, and so on. Violence seems to be part of the political culture in Nigeria.
Let us watch and see what will happen between now and May 2011, and in fact
thereafter. Crimes such as armed robberies, kidnappings, judicial murder, ritual
killings, and so on, are increasing at an alarming rate. Corruption, of course, is an
incurable cancer in Nigeria. The latest addition to insecurity in Nigeria is the
bombing that took place on October 1st, 2010. Thus, forgive me to state the truth
that what the Seven Point Agenda has achieved in the area of security is to make
the country, more or less, a haven for criminals.
Qualitative and functional education
In the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s education in Nigeria was at its best level.
Even primary, secondary school and teacher training graduates were persons who
contributed to the development of society. They effectively manned the schools,
government offices, company and industrial positions. Of course, university
graduates were very highly skilled persons who attracted respect all over the
world. From the mid 1980s, things fell apart. Rapid decline set in as “a result of
bad political, economic and national development policies” (Ikeotuonye 2000a).
6

8. Today, when one talks of quality and functionality of education in Nigeria, he is
talking of illiterate primary school leavers, semi-illiterate and disoriented
secondary school leavers, unemployable university graduates, inefficient and
disoriented teachers at all three levels of education, over-crowded classrooms
also at all three levels of education, and poor educational infrastructure. One can
go on and on enumerating various types of decay in the education sector.
From the foregoing analysis, it is clear even to the untutored mind that the Seven
Point Agenda is nothing but political music meant to keep Nigerians singing
Federal government praises while things go from bad to worse. As a precursor of
the Vision 20:2020, the Seven Point Agenda is, more or less, a dream. We shall
now turn our attention to another precursor of the Vision.
The Millennium Development Goals
It is already stated above that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is a
precursor of the Vision 20:2020. Information from Wikipedia (2010) states:
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight international development goals
that all 192 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations
have agreed to achieve by the year 2015. They include reducing extreme poverty
reducing child mortality rates, fighting disease epidemics such as AIDS, and developing
a global partnership for development (United Nations Development Goals website).
The goals are:
1. Eradicate extreme poverty.
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality rate
5. Improve mental health

9. 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development
The target year for the achievement of the MDGs is 2015. The question that is of
interest to us is: How has Nigeria fared so far? A quick look at the situation in
Nigeria shows that about 70 percent of Nigerians still live below the poverty line.
Hunger is a big problem particularly in the rural areas. Unemployment is very
high. The number of unemployable youths roaming the streets is alarming.
Enrollment in the primary and the junior secondary schools is still low. It is known
that the combined Gross Enrolment Ratio for primary, secondary and tertiary
education in 2005 is 56.2 percent. Child mortality rate is high (194 per 1,000 in
2005). The percentages of children under-weight and under-height for age are
high- 29 and 43 respectively in 2005- (Human Development Index Report
2007/2008). Girl child education is a recurring issue; while women are grossly
under-represented in employment and the national and State Assemblies.
HIV/AIDS is on the increase. In fact, health care leaves a lot to be desired.
Desertification and erosion are threatening the existence of millions of Nigerians.
The degradation of the environment in the Niger Delta is a crime against
humanity. On the whole, the writer appreciates that we are still five years away
from 2015; however, there is every reason to doubt that by that year Nigeria can
achieve any of the Millennium Development Goals.
What has been done so far is to define the route to Vision 20:2020. It is very clear
that there is no evidence along that route to show that Nigeria can achieve any of
the precursors, namely, the Seven Point Agenda and the MDGs, of the Vision
20:2020. If a child can not crawl, one wonders how he can walk, let alone run. In
plain language, the writer sees both the Seven Point Agenda and the Vision
20:2020 as political music meant to keep Nigerians singing while the Federal
government and the politicians carry on with business as usual.

10. Even at the expense of some repetition, we want to state most emphatically that
even the untutored mind knows that with the present situation of things in
8
Nigeria, (poor and decaying infrastructure, unstable power supply, corruption,
inconsistent policies, hopeless dependence on the petroleum sector, increasing
insecurity of lives and property, poverty, poor health care, tumbling standard of
education, increasing unemployment and unemployable youths, policy of
equalization towards mediocrity in the name of quota and federal character,
unending religious crises, culture of political violence, increase in crime rate, and
other numerous anti-development indicators) the idea of the Vision 20:2020
places Nigeria squarely in a dreamland. The above analysis shows that the
challenges facing the Vision are enormous and, more or less, intractable. As a
matter of fact, even the Nigeria Vision 20:2020 Economic Blueprint (2009) itself
expressed a very loud doubt about the achievability of the objectives of the
Vision. It is stated:
The fact that Nigeria’s socio-economic progress has remained sluggish despite
the existence of these plans justifies the level of skepticism and apathy among
the Nigerian people as to the possibility of realizing the goals of NV20:2020 (p. 164).
This ex-ray of the achievability of Vision 20:2020 and its precursors, hopefully, will
make for easy understanding of the reasoning that will now follow concerning
the nature of teachers needed for the Vision and their availability.
Preparing Teachers for the Challenges of Vision 20:2020
In a country with stable and responsible governments, development plans form a
continuum with each one dovetailing into the other. Such plans are
comprehensive and include objectives in all aspects of national life. Naturally one
of the objectives of development plans is human capacity development. Human
capacity building hinges absolutely on the education system; and, of course,
teachers are the pivot of the education system.

11. Unfortunately, when we talk of teachers in Nigeria, particularly, at the primary
and secondary levels of education, we are talking of the dregs of society.
9
It is stated elsewhere (Ikeotuonye 2000a, 2000b):
Teachers are treated as under-dogs by society, including government, members of the
community and even students themselves. They are looked down upon as individuals
who could not make it in more prestigious and paying jobs. Teachers are not expected to
enjoy the good things of life. They are condemned by society to living at subsistence level.
He is a teacher; why should he want this or that? This is the usual question. Teachers are
used as scape-goats for the country’s socio-political and economic woes. The first
indication that government is running out of fund is non-payment of teachers’ salaries.
Government is usually happy to sink a lot of wealth into political adventures rather than
payment of teachers’ salaries. Teachers are forever condemned to non-payment of fringe
benefits, for example, housing allowance, leave grant, transport allowance, and so on.
Teachers are not supposed to go on leave. The situation is so bad that almost every young
adult thinks it is a curse for anybody to suggest to him or her to apply to study Education
in the university. This is the fate we have carved out for our teachers. What should we
expect in return? The nation can only reap what it has sown. In our teachers, we have sown
inferiority complex, low self esteem, dissatisfaction, bitterness, hunger, nakedness and every
other thing that is demeaning. What should we expect in return? We shall leave every
listener or reader to think and answer this question himself or herself. However, there is one
thing we must not make any mistake about, namely, no nation can develop beyond the
condition of its teachers (p. 60, pp. 205-206).
When one thinks of preparation of teachers for the challenges of the Nigeria
Vision 20:2020, the first question that readily comes to mind is: Where are the
persons to be trained? It is already stated that almost every secondary school
leaver in Nigeria thinks that it is a curse for anybody to suggest to him or her to
apply to study Education in the university (Ikeotuonye 2000). Has the situation
changed? The answer is that it is getting worse. You can hardly see any boy or girl
who scored credit in five subjects, including English and Mathematics, applying to
study Education in the university. As stated elsewhere (Ikeotuonye 2000a):
The only boys and girls who go to Colleges of Education, and reluctantly too, are those
with poor performance in the School Certificate examinations. As soon as they obtain the
Nigerian Certificate in Education (N.C.E.), most of them make frantic efforts to get into the
university to read courses other than Education. Only those who fail in this still read

12. Education most unhappily (p. 62).
10
If I may ask again, where are the persons to be trained as teachers?
The Present Crop of Primary and Secondary School Teachers
The writer has no hesitation at all in stating that most of the teachers currently
teaching in Nigeria’s primary and secondary schools are made up of semi-
illiterates, unwilling horses and misfits. They are making easily observable
contributions to the falling standard of education in our country. You can imagine
only two percent of all students who sat for WAEC and NECO examinations
obtaining five credits including English and Mathematics in the 2009 May/June
examinations. Most probably the two percent got extra help from parents. This
year 2010 the percentage of passes is put at about 25 percent in the NECO
May/June examination. A good question is: Are the present crop of primary and
secondary school teachers those that will be retrained for the Nigerian Vision
20:2020? The writer’s answer is that old horses, particularly unwilling ones, do
not learn new tricks.
Teachers at the University Level
From the establishment of the first generation universities in Nigeria to the 1980s,
the selection process for university teachers was a disciplined exercise
(Ikeotuonye 2000a). It is further stated:
Most of those selected had the abilities and potentials for scholarship. Salaries and
fringe benefits were regular. Scholarships and fellowships were usually available for
academic and professional growth and development. The university libraries were
rich with most current publications. Facilities for teaching and learning were
commendably available. On the whole, the university teacher was satisfied with
himself; and also enjoyed a reasonable degree of respect in the society. However,
by the mid-1980s things fell apart in the university system as a result of bad political
economic and national development policies. Decline set in and proceeded very
fast, indeed (pp.60-61).

13. It is important to point out that as a result of the decline in the university system,
brain drain happened at an unprecedented scale.
11
Of course,
when the good ones left, the misfits moved in . Their motto is struggle for survival.
Scholarship, academic and professional development are poison to their ears. University
ethics and tradition are thrown to the dogs (p. 61).
This description fits most of the present day university teachers. The question is:
Are they the kind of university teachers that can train teachers for the Nigeria
Vision 20:2020? Right now they are largely responsible for littering the Nigerian
job market with semi-illiterate, unemployable graduates.
Who Will be Trained and Who Will Train Them?
Honestly, the writer sees a very bleak future for the teaching profession in
Nigeria. From the analysis so far, it is very clear that it is an uphill task to get good
candidates, of at least average intelligence, to train as teachers. In the year 2000,
the writer stated:
Thus, if Nigeria wants capable hands in the teaching profession, it must make
very serious efforts to get such persons. Otherwise, only birds of passage, misfits
and unwilling horses will continue to dominate the profession. The situation will
definitely get worse (Ikeotuonye 2000a:62).
For sure, the situation has got worse much more than the writer expected. What
is the way out of this very difficult situation?
Possible Solutions
The possible approaches recommended here should simply serve as a basis for
brainstorming, directed at coming out with sustainable solutions to this seemingly
intractable situation. To start with, the writer will repeat two of the suggestions
made ten years ago because they are still very relevant today. It is hoped that this
time around there might be somebody who may listen.

14. 12
Ten years ago it was stated:
If we want our young adults, who are at least of average intelligence, to go into
the teaching profession, government must provide incentives for them in the
form of free tuition and bursaries or scholarships for feeding, accommodation
and personal welfare (Ikeotuonye 2000a, p.62).
All that may be added now is that if the mission schools could do what has been
described in the 1950s and 60s, why can our Federal and State governments not
do so now in a country flowing with milk and honey? As a matter of fact, some
State governments in the northern part of this country continued with this
practice into the 1970s and early 80s. At the university level, our governments
provided scholarships, bursaries, and loans for both Education and non-education
students. The writer was a beneficiary of Federal government Crash Programme
Scholarship. If the truth must be told, it was because of the scholarship that the
writer did not go to University of Ibadan for History Honors; and instead most
happily went to University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) for a degree
in Education/Geography.
Concerning career patterns for teachers, it was also stated ten years ago
(Ikeotuonye 2000a):
The nation should also try defining in very specific terms career patterns for teachers.
The upward movement routes should be accessible. Remuneration should be attractive;
paid as and at when due. Gratuities, other retirement benefits, and secure pension
scheme should be well defined and paid promptly (p.63).
The question is: Did anybody listen? It took series of strikes by teachers at all
levels to get what appears to be a fair deal. In some States of the Federation,
teachers are still begging for the Special Teachers’ Salary Scale to be
implemented. In the South Eastern States, university teachers went on strike
demanding for the new University Salary Scale to be implemented. It is
unfortunate.

15. 13
We think that it is very important to reiterate that teachers’ emoluments should
be kept constantly very attractive if the nation wants to attract capable persons
to the teaching profession and retain them. May I repeat what was stated ten
years ago, namely, that “no nation can develop beyond the condition of its
teachers” (Ikeotuonye 2000a: 63).
There is need for a few words on who will train the teachers who are capable of
helping to pilot the nation to at least within sight of the Vision 20: 2020
objectives. Right now most of the personnel we have in the Colleges and Faculties
of Education all over the nation are those already referred to as misfits. They
moved into the system when a vacuum was created by brain drain. They are the
ones whose products created the disaster we have now at the primary and
secondary levels of education. The poor standard and mass failure now
experienced at these levels of education can be traced back to their entry into the
Colleges and Faculties of Education as teachers. Their peculiar dispositions are
nauseating. Now that the conditions of service in Colleges of Education and
universities have improved considerably, the suggestion made ten years ago
(Ikeotuonye 2000a) will fare better.
The universities and other tertiary institutions should go back to the old good days.
Recruitment of teachers should be treated with all the seriousness it deserves. Only
persons with very high academic and professional capabilities and potentials should
be recruited. This was the case in the past. Tertiary institutions should stop employing
misfits. Those already employed must be flushed out. There may, in fact, be need for
self-esteem enhancement programmes for teachers in tertiary institutions in order to
rehabilitate them and upgrade their behaviors (p. 63).
It is pretty clear that with the proliferation of universities in Nigeria and increase
in school enrollment at all levels of education, there is need for more teachers.
Thus, something must be done to rehabilitate and re-orientate some of the
teachers now causing havoc in the education system. Those who prove amenable
to rehabilitation should be retained; and those resistant to change must be
flushed out as already suggested.

16. 14
Adjustments in Curricula
It is necessary to point out quickly that unless concrete steps are taken to ensure
that young adults of at least average intelligence are attracted to the teaching
profession, and unless concrete steps are taken to recruit capable teacher
trainers, any adjustments in teacher education curricula is an absolute waste of
time. Even the curricula we have now can lead to wonderful achievements in all
areas of human endeavour, including science and technology. The problem is not
with the curricula but with the present crop of teacher trainers and the unwilling
horses dragged in to train as teachers.
If Nigeria is able to bring in persons with appropriate levels of intelligence,
aptitudes, interests and personality dispositions into the teaching profession, a
little adjustment in the teacher education curricula will help to produce teachers
capable of understanding the goals of the Nigeria Vision 20:2020 and playing their
appropriate roles in achieving those goals, or at least some of them.
The specific adjustments in curricula envisaged are in the following areas:
(i) Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
(ii) Provision of instructional materials
(iii) Provision of enabling environment
Information and Communication Technology
It is recommended that our teacher education curricula should be information
and communication technology based. Our teachers should be well educated to
make effective use of modern ICT facilities including the computer, Internet
facilities, radio, television, video, and so on. Our teachers in training should be
given laptops free of charge. By the time they graduate, each successful student

17. should be able to use Internet facilities, type and print his documents, play games
and so on.
15
This facility should be provided at all levels of teacher education. Okebukola
(2006) stated:
Integration of ICTs into teacher education will be greatly enhanced if students
in the programme are given the opportunity to experience innovative
technology-supported learning environments in their teacher education
programme (p.6).
In their discussion of the need for ICT in counsellor education, Ker and Ikeotuonye
(2006: 263) stated that “Information and Communication Technology can add
immense value to counsellor education.” This same statement can be repeated
without any hesitation at all for teacher education. It must be pointed out,
however, that the suggestion that teacher education should be ICT based does
not imply that traditional instructional materials are not relevant anymore. They
are still as relevant as they have always been.
Provision of Instructional Materials
It is important to reiterate that instructional materials, as we know them now, are
still very important in teacher education programmes. Teacher trainees should be
taught how to prepare and use both hard and soft instructional materials in the
classroom. They do not have to wait for ready-made materials. It must be added
that the cost of this aspect of teacher training must be borne 100 percent by
government.
Provision of Enabling Environment
During the good old days, Teacher Training Colleges were environments to
admire. Some of them were better than some of the universities we have
nowadays. The classroom blocks, the hostels, the refectories, the football fields,
the other games pitches, the grass lawns, the flowers and ornamental trees, and

18. the rest of the environment were all sources of beauty and discipline. Time for co-
curricular activities brought joy to the body and soul.
16
The environment automatically enhanced the self-esteem of the teacher
trainees. In fact, any adjustments in teacher education curricula that do not take
into consideration the provision of excellent environment is already doomed for
failure.
Establishment of Model Universities of Education
The analysis done so far clearly suggests the need for the establishment of
Universities of Education modeled after four of the oldest universities, namely,
Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Ibadan, University of Nigeria Nsukka
and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Nothing less of those environments is
acceptable. The universities should employ the best personnel available, both
academic and administrative. Admission of students should be by a very rigorous
selection process. Quota and federal character should not apply in any of its
operations. Once Nigeria is able to achieve this, the existing Colleges and Faculties
of Education should close down. The carrying capacity of each university can be as
high as 50,000. In fact, the thinking is that there should be one such university in
each geo-political zone.
These universities can also run the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE)
programme. The NCE primary education programme must include all primary
school subjects. That is the only way NCE can become minimum teaching
qualification in the primary school. The present crop of NCE teachers are just not
prepared for that.
Some Nigerians who believe in business as usual may see the recommendations
as living ahead of them. It is unfortunate. The only alternative, of course, is
business as usual; with the resultant consequence of Nigeria continuing to
stagnate. If Nigeria wants development, it must be prepared to work for it. A
Nigerian proverb states that if a wild animal being hunted runs in a peculiar way,
a unique arrow must be used to hit it.

19. 17
Need for Absolute Re-orientation
Last in the catalogue of recommendations, but not the least, is the need for value
reorientation in this nation of ours. It is generally known now that formulation of
development plans, such as the Seven Point Agenda and the Nigeria Vision
20:2020, is no problem to Nigeria. The same goes for teacher education policies.
Nigerians are good at coming up with wonderful ideas. Honestly, what Nigeria
needs is value re-orientation. The political class sees Nigeria as a ware-house full
of inexhaustible wealth; and their role is to loot as much as possible while they
have the chance. Most of them have no genuine commitment to the nation. The
rest of the Nigerian elite have imbibed the same idea. This is why we have the
terms ‘government work’, ‘government property’, ‘government palaver’, and so
on. Teaching is now ‘government work’; and hence there is little or no
commitment to excellence at all three levels of education. Nigerians, including
teachers, need to change over to new ways of doing things; otherwise, even by
the end of this century, Nigeria will remain an under-developed country.
Summary
A major conclusion from the analysis made is that considering the present
situation of things in Nigeria, the Vision 20:2020 in its entirety may not be
achievable even by the middle of this century. The challenges, all of which are
Nigerian made, appear intractable. Hence preparing teachers for those challenges
is quite a herculean task. The right persons to prepare are just not there; and the
majority of the present teacher trainers are misfits. It is hoped, however, that if
the possible solutions proposed in this analysis, as unpalatable as some of them
may be, are painstakingly followed, there might be hope that the Vision may be
achievable in the very long run. Finally if Nigeria wants teachers capable of
contributing to the achievement of the Vision, the nation must make up its mind
to train them.

20. 18
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