Lagos – Dr. Mac-John Nwaobiala, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, has said that the Federal Government was planning to organise a high level national summit for teachers.
Nwaobiala disclosed this at the 44th annual inter-house sports competition of the Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba.
According to him, the essence of the summit is to seek ways of improving on the quality of the teachers, especially those of the 104 unity colleges in the country.
He said that the summit would be driven to the highest level as it was expecting President Goodluck Jonathan to be in attendance.
The permanent secretary said the current administration was passionate about the future of the Nigerian child, adding that one major way of securing it was through qualitative education.
He said the Federal Ministry of Education was currently paying attention to the recruitment of teachers for core subjects such as Mathematics, Science and Technical.
“Recently, we carried out employment on core subject teachers such as Mathematics, Science and Technical.
“We might not have enough as required by the individual colleges but we will strive to ensure that we provide these schools with teachers of these core subjects.
“As this would provide the platform for technological advancement and national development,’’ he said.
Nwaobiala also reiterated government’s commitment to encourage the development of sports in schools across the country.
He stressed that sporting activities go beyond competing and winning laurels.
According to him, when one gets involved in activities such as jogging, aerobics and walking, one improves the functions of the heart and lungs by giving them strength.
“Hence, it can be deduced that sporting activities is capable of giving us a sound mind in a physically strong body.
“Sports is important because it helps to inculcate values such as endurance, tolerance, sportsmanship and leadership skills among others” the permanent secretary said.
Nwaobiala stressed that through sports, youngsters were given opportunity to showcase their talents and are encouraged to excel and groomed to national limelight.
He said events such as the inter-house sports competition was usually an annual event, which, like education is used to promote national integration, unity and excellence.
“We want to see how we can encourage our young people to get to their peak in sports because we are usually not happy when Nigeria is identified as age cheats during major international sports tournament.
“We want to create an environment where budding talents would be brought up to national level and eventually bring glory to the country,” he said.
The permanent secretary said the ministry was currently working on some policies to see how some of the country’s unity colleges would, apart from academics, be made centres of excellence in sports.