Teaching Should Be a Deliberate Career Choice, Not a Backup Plan – Professor Veronica Okogbaa

On World Teachers' Day, Professor Veronica Emem Okogbaa, a respected educator and professor of Educational Management and Leadership at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), emphasized that teaching must be pursued intentionally, not as a fallback career.

Addressing the audience, she stressed that the profession is a calling, and only individuals passionate about education should take on the role of teachers.

Professor Okogbaa highlighted that individuals who enter the teaching profession simply as a backup plan may not be equipped to meet the challenges that students face today. To improve the education system and learner outcomes, only those with a genuine desire to teach should be allowed into the profession. She also called for ongoing training and retraining of teachers to keep up with emerging trends in education and technology, ensuring that teaching evolves from a last-resort option to a first-choice career.

She further urged the government and society at large to provide teachers with better remuneration, noting that the current pay structure does not reflect the hard work and responsibility that teaching requires. Improving the conditions of service for teachers, she argued, would motivate them to fully commit to shaping the leaders of tomorrow, which is crucial for national development.

In her speech, Professor Okogbaa pointed out that teachers continue to be significant role models, as students spend about six hours daily under their supervision. Despite the modern pressures on the profession, she said, the influence of teachers remains profound in shaping the character and minds of young learners.

The professor also addressed the challenges of modern education, where 21st-century learners, often referred to as digital natives, demand lessons that integrate technology. She noted that teachers must embrace professionalism and continuously adapt to new methods, as outdated teaching approaches no longer engage today’s learners.

The theme for this year’s World Teachers’ Day, Valuing Teacher Voices Towards a New Social Contract for Education, encourages stakeholders to prioritize teachers' perspectives in decision-making processes to create a more inclusive and supportive educational environment. The theme underscores the importance of recognizing teachers' voices in shaping resilient and equitable education systems for future generations.