TEACHERS have been advised to serve as good role models and responsible parents to their students.
This advice came after a discussion at the 2022 edition of the Teachers’ Excellence Award of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Association of Model Islamic Schools (AMIS) which was held recently at the National Mosque, Abuja.
Speaking on the topic ‘Teachers as Parents in School’, the guest lecturer and an Effective Communication expert, Mr Saheed Ayegboka, described teaching as a noble profession that is divinely rewarded on earth and hereafter.
Ayegboka said teaching is a job that every prophet of Allah professed during their lifetimes through their actions and messages to the people.
He said: “Teachers must play the roles of parents in the school if they actually want to be transformational teachers. They should be those teachers that move the children from the far left to the far right; teachers that reform both knowledge and character; teachers that inspire students to grow and equip them with the wherewithal to solve the problems facing us.
“According to the United Nations, there are four skills that teachers must inculcate in their students. These are communication skill, critical thinking skill, creativity skill and problem-solving skill. These are what teachers are expected to do and they must also be good role models to the students.
“You cannot say ‘do what I say and don’t do what I do’, students don’t acquire knowledge in that manner. They do what they see you do. Teachers must be upright if they want their students to do the same.
“Teaching is a profession ascribed to all prophets (of Allah) and they were the ones that simplified what teaching means. It is one occupation that unites all the prophets sent by God. Teaching is the greatest job you can have because it is a job that rewards you both in this life and hereafter.
“Teachers must take their job seriously because the future resides solely on their hands. When we have good teachers, we have good students and we have a good community and we also have a good country. The work teachers are doing for us is not just teaching a particular subject but through every sphere of life which is to benefit the entire community.
“Sadly, the teaching profession has been so underrated that we think anybody can teach. The fact that you were a good student does make you a good teacher. Teaching is a profession for the professionals and parents are expected to give due regards to teachers even as much as the doctors that treat them.
“They deserve all the respect and every reward. In like manner, school owners must take teachers as their own ‘children’ too. Rewarding teachers in terms of competence and productivity is good and most importantly paying them good salary that will make them take good care of their families is the best.”
The Public Relations Officer of AMIS-Abuja and chairman of Noble Guide Academy, Kubwa, Abuja, Malam AbdulBasit Bakare, said the event was organised to appreciate and motivate the teachers to do more.
According to Bakare, AMIS knows the critical role teachers are playing in moulding the lives of the children positively for the future.
Hajiya Simbiat Salawu who chaired the event called on teachers to continue to give their best.
One of the awardees, Aliu Abdullahi Aremu, a teacher at the Islamic Academy, Lugbe, expressed happiness and said the award would make him do more. Over 120 teachers were presented with awards.
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