Former Minister of Education under the administration of Dr Olusegun Obasanjo, Professor Chinwe Obaji, said the introduction of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) into school curricular was a veritable tool for social reform that would guide students from being trafficked.
Obaji stated this Tuesday in Lafia during the training of trainers on trafficking in persons recently mainstreamed into the Nigeria Certificate of Education (NCE) minimum standard, organised for lecturers of colleges of education from the North-central zone.
She said TIP was becoming one of the most lucrative but dangerous crimes globally, adding that teachers are critical components to educating students on the dangers of the evil practices.
She commended the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) for coming up with the idea of mainstreaming of trafficking issues into basic school curricula.
“Federal Ministry of Education, under the present administration and the change agenda, had initiated education strategic intervention plan with a roadmap for educational development based on 10 pillars.
“The mandate of the 10 pillars of the education roadmap included revamping the basic education sector, education data and curriculum planning, as well as improving the quality of teacher education, which is key.
“Improving the quality of teacher education, however, requires professionally competent teachers that can handle emerging issues in our educational institutions and society.
“This means recognising and educating the child to competently face today and tomorrow’s environment with appreciable success as they contribute their quota in reshaping it.”
The former minister urged college lecturers present at the event to be guided by the national education strategic plan which is geared towards quality and functional education.
The director of academic programme, Mr Vitalis Uji, who represented the executive secretary of National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Professor Bappa Muhammadu, urged lecturers to do their best by helping to step down the concept of TIP in students.
He said the knowledge gained by the lecturers would help to shape the mind of students towrads enabling them to transmit same into basic education teaching when they get to the field.
