FG endorses teachers’ reality TV show

The federal government has thrown its weight behind a television reality show, Teachers Naija, to promote professionalism and welfare in the nation’s teaching profession.

Minister of State for Education Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba endorsed the programme during a courtesy visit to his office by the organisers of the TV show on Tuesday in Abuja.

“It hurts anytime I come across a piece that indicates that teachers are not valued; you will see a ‘To Let’ sign, it will say ‘To Let’ but not to teachers. You don’t know whether to cry or how you will feel. It has hurt me for many years.”

Ubaka Enuagwuna, the convener of the show, said as a teacher, being in the classroom for the past 13 years, sometimes, he asked his students how many of them will want to be teachers, and none will raise their hands.

Ubaka said the next season of the show will begin on 3rd August 2021 with 20 teachers on the show for 20 days.

The winner of the first prize in 2019 got N1.5 million with an all-expense-paid trip to Dubai and N500,000 reward for the school of the teacher, while the second and third positions received N1m and N500,000 respectively as well as a trip to Dubai and N500,000 for their schools.

Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Prof Josiah Ajiboye, represented by the Director of Professional Operations, Enilolobo Gbolahan, expressed the need for Nigerians to support the programme, describing it as a true friend of Nigerian teachers.