Okechukwu calls for implementation of UNESCO’s 20% requirement to improve Teachers Standard

BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU

Former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) and Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu has called for implementation of UNESCO’s 20% requirement to improve teachers standard

Addressing journalists during the Igwa Nshi annual festival, at Eke in Enugu State on Saturday, Okechukwu lamented the poor standard of Teachers nationwide as demonstrated by their poor result in nationwide examination conducted by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

Okechukwu said that poor teachers standard means poor students standard, more so when 4,169 teachers across Nigeria failed the 2025 Batch ‘A’ Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) conducted by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

He appealed to Federal, State and Local Governments to as a matter of urgent national importance adhere strictly to the 15-20% UNESCO recommendation for total public expenditure to education to halt Teachers poor standard.

The ex-VON boss submitted that education should take premium of 20% in our total budget allocation because Nigeria’s greatest resource is human capital development; especially when we enjoy uncommon 70% youth demographic advantage in an aging competitive world.

“Am pained over heartbreaking crisis of inadequate funding and poor quality in our education system. To be frank we need urgent paradigm shift to increase investments in education and learning; for with our uncommon 70% youth demographic advantage we can comfortably outsource skilled labour to the global community.” Okechukwu retorted.

It could be recalled that the Director of Certification and Licensing at the Council, Dr. Jacinta Ezeahurukwe, disclosed recently in a statement that in the nationwide examination, 4,169, representing 32.38% failed out of 8, 705 candidates representing 67.62%.

Editor

Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.