The Director General, National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna State, Musa Maitafsir, says the institute plans to introduce a mandatory one-year Teacher Internship Programme by January 2024.
Maitafsir made this known on Thursday in Abuja, at a news conference to mark the 2023 World Teachers’ Day.
According to reports the day has as its theme, ‘the teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage.’
Also, the day, which has been held annually on October 5 since 1994, is observed to commemorate the adoption of a 1996 ILO/UNESCO recommendation concerning the status of teachers.
The day also focuses on the rights, responsibilities and standards of teachers’ initial preparation and further education, recruitment and employment.
Expatiating on the planned internship programme, the DG said that it would be introduced in partnership with the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria.
He said that the programme was initiated in compliance with Section ‘C’ sub-section (1), page 21 of the National Teacher Education Policy (2014).
Maitafsir said that the internship was a mandatory programme that is expected to last for one year for the holders of NCE, B.ed, PGDE, M.ed and PhD in the education sector.
” The duration of one year is similar to Internship Programmes of other professions like Law and Medicine.
” This will be operated in two diets, March and November of each year before or after the commencement of NYSC by those with Degree Certificates.”
Maitafsir, however, said that the programme would only be applicable to would-be teachers and not for those that have already been inducted by TRCN and given its certificate.
He said that the programme would acquaint the ‘ Trainee-Teachers ‘ with the practical knowledge of trashing and the learning process.
“They include E- facilitation and teacher integration in teaching skills, psycho – principles of commitment of teaching and delivery and retention techniques.
“Others are aesthetics and conventional wrong skills, entrepreneurship education skills and monthly teachers’ acculturation lectures.”
According to him, on successful completion of the programme, the trainees will be awarded with a ‘Teacher Internship Certificate’ that will qualify them for TRCN ‘Induction and Certification’.
He added that the programme would be run at the Institute’s headquarters in Kaduna and the six geopolitical zones in the country.
Maitafsir further said that the programme would go a long way in advancing teaching and learning in Nigeria.
