The Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Simeon Oladipo, has urged students studying education-related courses to see themselves as role models and positive influencers as they embark on the compulsory 12-week teaching practice exercise in various primary and secondary schools, from September 16 to Friday, December 6, 2024.
He gave the charge on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at the 2024/2025 Teaching Practice Orientation Exercise of the Faculty of Education, UNILAG. The event, which was attended by over one thousand, eight hundred (1,800) student-teachers, was held at the Jelili Omotola Multipurpose Hall, UNILAG, Akoka.
The Faculty of Education Dean expressed concern over the alarming rate of moral decadence especially among children of primary and secondary school age, an ugly trend, which he said, required the concerted efforts of education stakeholders to mitigate.
Prof Oladipo described the teaching practice exercise as a viable opportunity for the student-teachers to impact knowledge, and push for moral re-awakening and attitudinal change among children.
He implored the student-teachers to highlight the best of everything faculty members have taught them, and be ambassadors of the fit-for-purpose workforce which the Professor Folasade Ogunsola-led-UNILAG management is keen on raising.
The 2024/2025 Teaching Practice Orientation Exercise featured keynote presentations by Professor Mopelola Olusakin and Dr. Funsho Olatunde, as well as goodwill remarks and messages from senior faculty members and Heads of Departments (HODs) drawn from the Faculty of Education.
Dr. Funsho Olatunde spoke on “Honing the Teaching Skills of the Student-Teachers for Optimum Performance in the 21st Century” while Professor Mopelola Olusakin shared insights on “Promoting Discipline and Positive Interpersonal Relationship of the Student-Teachers with Staff and Students”.
The faculty members took turns to congratulate the students on their successful completion of the requirements to qualify for the mandatory teaching practice exercise. They implored them to see the teaching practice as a ground to practicalize and build on the knowledge and teaching skills so far acquired.
The University dons charged the student-teachers to familiarize themselves with and abide by obtainable laws, rules and regulations at their various duty posts; shun unprofessional conducts; ensure punctuality; as well as adopt dexterity, decent carriage and other virtues which would make them good representatives of UNILAG.
The 2024/2025 Teaching Practice Orientation Exercise, according to the Faculty’s Teaching Practice Coordinator, Dr Stella Anyama, begins formally on Monday, September 16, 2024, and will run till Friday, December 6, 2024.
The 12-week compulsory exercise will see the over 1,800 student-teachers offering teaching services across primary and secondary schools in Lagos State as part of requirements in their pursuits for a Bachelor of Education Degree.
Report: Gbenga Gbelee
Photography: Samuel Dosumu
