Since four decades ago divergent opinions have been expressed over the status of teaching in Nigeria: Is it a profession or a mere field of practice, or an all-corners’ field? On 4th May, 1993, the then Military Government promulgated Decree 31 entitled “Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria” charged with the functions of:
a) determining who are teachers;
b) determining what standards of knowledge and skill to be attained by persons seeking to become registered as
teachers;
c) securing the establishment and maintenance of a register of teachers;
d) regulating and controlling the teaching profession;
e) classifying members of the teaching profession according to their level of training and qualification.
This paper analyses the functions assigned to this council in relation to professionalisation of teaching. Functions (a) to (c) may not look difficult because teacher training institutions abound all over the country. These functions will ensure that only well trained and inducted teachers are employed in the system.
Functions (d) and (e) concern the concept of professionalisation. Therefore, the council should realize the significance of special place of knowledge, the use of research to update knowledge and special training (pre- and in-service) required for obtaining and updating knowledge and skill. Teachers themselves should exhibit professionalism in their conducts and services by avoiding vices which are the impacts of existence of untrained personnel not well groomed in understanding teaching as a professional career. Real professionalism will imbue teachers with a feeling of dignity and awe within themselves while the public will regard them as such.
Thus, for the council to be an instrument for professionalisation of teaching in Nigeria, condition of service of teachers should be improved especially in terms of remuneration. For instance, since July 1, 2008 (after fifteen years of the establishment of the council), the members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) have been on strike pressing their demand for Teacher Salary Scale (TSS), as there are separate salary scales for their counterparts in other profession, such as Medical Salary Scale (MSS) for medical doctors, and the University Academic Staff Scale (UASS) for the University academic staff. Therefore, what is good for the goose is good for the gander.