TRCN & ABU INTRODUCE PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN EDUCATIONIn a bid to further ease the persistent difficulties facing unqualified teachers in registering with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, (TRCN), the Council, in collaboration with the Institute of Education, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has worked out a new teacher-education programme tagged ‘Professional Diploma in Education (PDE).The TRCN's Registrar/Chief Executive, Chief Anjikwi Musa Ciwar, (OON/MNAE), who disclosed this in a chat with newsmen recently said, the PDE was successfully screened by the Council's consultants, Deans/Directors of Faculties/Institutes of Education in the nation's Universities and the Council's governing council. The senate of Ahmadu Bello University , the Registrar noted, has approved the running of the PDE in the University. In his words, “the Unique features of the PDE includes flexibility because it can be run full time, part time, Sandwich and long distance. It has specializations for teachers at all levels of the Education system. It has included all the relevant and most contemporary areas of knowledge and the entry requirement is not only degrees but also OND and HND.” The PDE, Ciwar said, offers every good teacher the opportunity of being registered, stressing that, a graduate teacher without teaching qualification can do either PGDE or PDE and not both as the two programmes have met the Council's standards. The Council noted that it has asked all faculties and Institutes of Education come up with qualitative and flexible strategies for assisting unqualified teachers to get the relevant qualifications. It however stressed that the progress reports so far gotten from the institutions show that they have taken the challenges seriously and have tripled their efforts at training unqualified teachers in the system. By: Ojewuyi Muyiwa |