The Oxford Dictionary defines profession as ‘a paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification. Some may believe that teaching the young children and adolescents cannot qualify a person as a professional, but rather being seen as a craft which any untrained person can engage in.  But unfolding events in the teaching profession prove that teaching as a profession in the modern day goes beyond “talk and chalk”.   It involves moulding the lives of young ones, guiding youth, motivating students and general character training.  Similarly, classroom teaching does not succeed alone by itself without discipline and adequate guidance which then move it convincingly into the professional realm.

Evolution of Teacher Education in Nigeria

Durosaro [1] considered teacher education as a process of developing skilled teaching manpower to enable them provide good quality and relevant education to learners at whatever level they operate within the education system. Oyekan as cited by Kolade said that the heartbeat of manpower development and training for prudent use and sustenance of resources in nation building is teacher education.  This is because for wherever one turns, be it in social, economic or political sphere of activities, one is faced with the ever recurring problem of the need for trained manpower but no adequate training can take place without competent teachers to handle the programmes. Hence, it is a process of imparting relevant knowledge, skills and value – orientations that would promote the production of efficient and effective teachers. 

Teachers appeared to be most important refined human species that skillfully identify, develop and nurture the potentials of productive citizenry or meaningful creation of wealth, pleasure and services which may sustain quality of life.  Reference of teachers to individual and national development is wholly dependent on their pervasive roles in providing functional education and training to the learners within and outside the school settings. Production of efficient and educated professionals such as doctors, pharmacists, nurses, engineers, technician and enlightened artisans or citizens are the refined products of teacher education.

Teacher education in Nigeria may either be pre-service or in-service.  Pre-service teacher education is provided by university faculties of education and schools of education in the Colleges of Education while the in-service teacher education can also provided by university institutes of education and the National Teacher’s Institute (NTI), Institute of Education in the universities mount programmes  of teacher education in form  of  post graduate diploma in education, part-time degree in education for serving teachers and various skill improvement workshops. The National Teachers institute provides in-service training in form of “Pivotal” Grade II certificate training for teachers in some disadvantaged states and NCE part time courses. The professional bodies like the Nigerian Union of Teacher and All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools also contribute to in-service teacher education by organizing workshops and seminars for teachers geared at specific skill improvements.

Adesina cited by Durosaro pointed out that the history of teacher education in Nigeria dated back to the late 18th century during the early Christian missionary era.  At that period, the teacher was in fact the church catechist chosen and trained by the priest.  They might not even be a pastor or an ordained priest, but he incidentally found himself playing the roles of both the pastor and the teacher to the new converts comprising a conglomeration of children, youths and aged ones.  Teacher education of the formal type was said to have started about 1896 with the establishment of St Andrew’s College, Oyo.  The school was specifically established to train teachers for the service of the church missionary society.  The then colonial government showed lackadaisical attitude to the education of this nature including teacher education.  Later, after realizing the importance of literacy in facilitating smooth communication and commercial activities, the colonial government later intervened in teacher education by regulating conditions of service for teachers in service and organizing evening classes and vacation courses for teachers.  Obviously, the business of teacher education started mainly as exclusive missionary business. The early form of teacher education focused mainly on production of teacher who operated at the primary level of education.

Before independence, there were very few secondary schools, the bulk of the secondary school teachers then were expatriates and missionaries, most of who had no teacher education.   There were also a few leavers of the secondary schools who were retained to teach as auxiliary teachers.  Moreover, the production of the secondary teachers was regarded as something that needed higher skills that could be available only in a university or an advanced teachers’ college. The common feature of the teacher education system of the early days was that of low enrolment. The advantages of the low population teacher training colleges as observed by Arogundade [2] was individualized contacts, there were practical experience in teaching and production of better trained teachers.  However, where the school size was ridiculously low, the result may be wastage in manpower and facilities utilization.   

Shortly after independence, there was a sporadic increase in enrolment due to greater competition in school establishment among mission.  Demand for teachers, also increased resulting in a ‘scramble”.

At the primary school level, there were about ten qualifications with which one could be employed to teach.  These included standard six school leaving certificate, primary school leaving certificate grade 2 teachers’ certificate, grade 2 failed testimonial, Associateship Certificate in Education, Grade 1 teachers’ certificate.  Honorary Grade 1 Teachers’ Certificate and Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE). At the secondary and post-secondary levels there were about eight different qualifications that could earn anybody teaching job.  As reported by Durosaro, these included ordinary National Diploma, Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE), Higher National Diploma, Bachelor’s Degree (without teacher education), and postgraduate Diploma in Education, Bachelor of Education, Master of Education and Doctorate Degree. During that era, teaching was not professionalized. The teacher education curriculum was geared toward primary school teacher only.  That was the practice in existence between 1896 and 1970.

Adeyinka cited by Jakayinfa stated that certain categories of educational institutions are charged with the responsibility of giving the required professional training for teachers for effective and maximum productivity.  These include:

• NCE result which is now the minimum qualification for teachers in Nigeria

• Faculties of education in the universities

• Some polytechnics offered certificates courses in Education to improve the teaching skills

The current reality is that teacher education is much improved than it was before 1970.  Today, there are no pupil teachers with only primary education who needed to be trained for a number of times before going to teach.  Even though there are still signs of no commitment to teaching and many teachers would want to leave the profession at the slightest opportunity, it is heart-warming to note that a larger number of the current day teachers are professionally trained.  Access to the profession is much easier since education and training for teachers seem to be less strenuous.  The type of teacher needed in Nigeria has become clearly defined in the National Policy on Education committee blueprint.  It was presented that the types and qualifications of teachers required should be as follows:

• Primary Education:  NCE and graduate teachers as heads

• Junior secondary schools: NCE and university graduates as heads 

• Senior secondary school: NCE and university graduates with professional qualifications

• Technical colleges, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education:  University graduates with post-graduate qualifications in their disciplines together with professional qualifications, practical industrial exposure and experience

• University:  University graduates with post-graduate qualifications together with professional qualifications and experience

This prescription implies that minimum qualification to teach in our primary schools in Nigeria is NCE.  The government had taken steps to ensure implementation of this prescription.  All the existing Grade 2 teachers’ colleges are being phased out and serving Grade 2 teachers are being retrained to obtain NCE before the deadline to disengage them except in the northern part of the country.

Also various teachers’ colleges now mount NCE sandwich or part-time courses to help in upgrading the knowledge of teachers who are below NCE level for effective teaching.  There are crash programmes to educate teachers further.  There are avenues at the National Open University to help in developing the modern day teachers.

Teacher Education and Professionalisation of Teaching in Nigeria

Teaching profession in Nigeria seems to have been recognized by all the stakeholders. The government, through the National policy on Education (2014 edition) has clearly stated that “teacher education will continue to be given major emphasis in all our educational planning because “no education system can rise above the quality of its teacher”.  In addition, the government has recognized teaching as a profession by maintaining that teaching like other profession in Nigeria should be legally and publicly recognized as a profession.  To achieve this, government has set up the Teacher Registration Council among whose functions are registration, accreditations, certification, discipline and regulation of professional practices. The government has given a period of time within which, those untrained teachers and those teachers without the requisite qualification, to qualify for membership or leave the profession.

The government has also asserted desirability and intention to professionalize teaching. The Federal Republic of Nigeria maintained clearly in the Nigeria Teachers Manual that professionalization of teaching should be given adequate attention in order to enhance the role of teachers in the formulation and implementation of educational policies in the country.  In order to achieve this, Ciwan identified a number of factors as criteria that enhance the degree of professionalism of teaching namely; the theoretical and practical knowledge mastered exclusively by the practitioners, fairly long time of training in the field, continuous practice in the field, ethical codes of conduct for practitioners, regulatory body that licenses and disciplines, as well as promotes professional growth of practitioners, continuous in-service development, rendering of essential and qualitative services to society by the practitioners, exalting service above self and membership of practitioners in the professions.  For Ciwan, these are the criteria that other professionals in pharmacy, medicine, law and others have been able to organise themselves in such a way that they have now become the epitome and symbol of genuine professionalism. 

The professionals proudly wear their identities and in whatever job they find themselves, they still prefer to be identified by their respective professions. Application of the conventional criteria (requirements) required of a profession as earlier enumerated to teaching, indicate clearly that in Nigeria, many are yet to see teaching as a profession. This is judging from the fact that anybody can engage in formal teaching and disengage at will.  There seem to be no regulation guiding the profession. The fact remain that people do not boarder about ethical code of conduct in teaching compare to any other profession and it is not uncommon that some of those who engage in teaching do not have certificate of registration and license. Probably that is why, a professional teacher has been defined in the Nigerian Teachers’ manual   as a person who has been registered with professional qualifications which enable him or her to be appointed to teach at any appropriate level of recognized educational institutions in Nigeria and who is of sound mind and is mentally alert.

To achieve professionalization, the government enacted a teaching profession act and established the National Teachers’ Council. However, it is the responsibility of the Teacher to adhere to the ethics of the profession by belonging to a professional Association and at the same time avail themselves of the opportunities for professional growth through in-service training, attendance of learned conferences/seminars and belonging to relevant subject associations. These are pragmatic ways of achieving professionalization of teaching in Nigeria.

Professionalizing Teaching in Nigeria

It seems highly erroneous for teachers to consider themselves as professionals after graduation without being registered and licensed to teach by the relevant body. Also, teachers need to understanding the subject matter, knowing the appropriate method to use in disseminating the knowledge to the students, determining learning experience to use and making appropriate evaluation at the end of the lesson. Abimbola (2005) asserted that they must continually update their knowledge within their discipline especially in this era of scientific and technological advancement.  Teachers ought to be informed of new methods and materials that will make their teaching more effective. In order to professionalize teaching, the construct currently being used to describe teachers’ in-service training, continuing education, workshop, seminar or on-the-job training must be given proper attention. These are the training requirements which include teacher education initiated by the employer. 

Jekanyinfa [3] describes the construct as all forms of in-service, continuing education, training and professional development, whether formal or informal. Teachers’ professional development consists of activities a teacher can engage to keep abreast a new development, evaluate and improve his classroom performance.  Such activities according to him, include participating in in-service courses and workshops, continuing graduate study and participating in reading professional journals among others.

The emphasis in the observation raised is the institutional and the professional needs of the individual teacher.  This means that a career-long professional development programme for teachers, which can be realized through a combination of various approaches involving initial training, regular inductions and in-service training programmes  designed to cater for the needs of prospective as well as serving teachers. It is observed by Leach, that professionalizing teaching is a continuum, a creative journey from the earliest stages of initial teacher education through to the latest stages of being an educational professional. In fulfillment of this, Colleges of Education, Faculties of Education in the Universities, Education Resources Centres, and National Teachers Institutes among others, provide training programme for teachers. The Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the National Policy on Education outlines the objectives of teacher education are as to:

• Produce highly motivated, conscientious and efficient classroom teachers for all levels of educational system

• Encourage further the spirit of enquiry and creativity in teachers

• Help teachers to fit into social life of the community and the society at large and enhance their commitment to national goals

• Provide teachers with intellectual and professional background adequate for their assignment and make them adaptable to changing situation

• Enhance teachers’ commitment to the teaching profession

In order to achieve these objectives the curriculum of teacher education puts emphasis on subject mastery and pedagogy. In most cases, during the teacher education programme, a teacher trainee must offer courses in education, methodology of teaching, project writing, general studies and teaching practice.  All these will go a long way to enhance the quality of teaching and make teaching an instrument of problem solving activity for both the learner and the teacher.

The Need for Quality Teachers in Nigeria Education

Teacher quality matters in Nigeria education because it is one of the most important school related factors influencing students’ achievement.  Hence, many researchers have argued that teacher quality is a powerful predictor of students’ performance.  Notwithstanding, there are no silver bullets for improving teacher quality, a comprehensive approach that touches on a teacher’s career is the best strategy for improving teacher quality.

Assessment of teachers is the only pragmatic way of proving their qualities.  Assessment includes all the processes and the products which describe the nature and extent of learning, its degree of correspondence with the aims and objectives of teaching and the relationship with the environment which are designed to facilitate schooling and learning.  This appears to be a very broad definition that involves all school processes relating to students, staff, the school environment and the teaching and learning processes.  Osasona [4] confirms that “Assessment is a term used for a wide range of approaches for measuring effectiveness”. One way of interpreting education effectiveness in Nigeria is through the examination results of learners.  Whenever students perform well, their school enjoys a positive assessment report and if not, the assessment report is negative.

Similarly, Urevbu said that “Assessment deals with how well a students or group of students have learned a particular set or kind of knowledge”.  Looking at assessment from this angle thrusts a lot of the burden on the teachers who are very crucial in any learning institution and this may be the reason, Rice quoting Sanders and River and Sanders affirmed that the single most important factor affecting student achievement is teachers and the effect of teachers on students are both additive and summative.  The researcher could then deduce that for teachers to cope effectively and efficiently, they are required to possess some qualities that could enable them imbibe the necessary skills to cope with the challenges of imparting positively on students.

Reichardt identified four areas of opportunity that can influence teacher quality. These include:

• Pre-service: Educating and certifying of future teachers

• Recruitment and selection: Attracting the best and brightest teachers to the classroom

• In-service: improving teacher’s knowledge and skills

• Retention: keeping the best teachers in the classroom, particularly in the classrooms where their skills are needed most 116

The areas of pre-service and recruitment and selection are not in the control of individual teachers. Teachers could improve themselves apart from the institutional arrangements made for the induction of new teachers, which are sometime not available in most of our institutions.  The fact of the matter is that many teachers in our schools and tertiary institutions appeared unprofessional.  So, the institution of the Teacher Registration Council amongst which duties include the registration of all professional teachers and formulation of a federal government policy that all teachers and lecturers must possess a teaching qualification is a welcome development. 

What must have informed the aforementioned development relates to the fact that it is not just anyone who has gone to school that can teach?  Sometimes, in Nigerian schools, people who are not professional teachers find themselves in the teaching or lecturing job simply because they may have graduated from the institution of higher learning with good grades and have been retained, served the institution in the National Youth Corps (NYSC) scheme and were of good conduct or made the necessary contacts or have opted to seek employment in the institution as a means to further their education, whereas, we know that the teaching professional goes beyond the mere ability to know a subject matter and then being able to stand in front of learners.  Indeed, the strategy for imparting knowledge, the creation of a suitable classroom environment, the use of suitable teaching methods and the efficient cum successful management of learners assessment procedures are among the abilities that the teachers or lecturers must possess.

Professional teachers should aim at further and continuous development of themselves as Reichardt advised that “A key to success is the availability of time for teachers to participate in learning.  To improve teacher quality, professional development should be encouraged.  The policies that can influence teacher quality are many and the processes of improving teacher quality must be all embracing and this is why it is often not easy for non-professionals and people who are in the profession for some ulterior motives other than to be teachers indeed, or people who use the profession as a stepping stone to “greener pastures” to imbibe.

Teaching profession in the United State of America, England and Nigeria compared

The United State of America is made up of fifty-three states, which include, New York, Chicago, Washington among others.   Each state controls the training process of its teachers and sets standards as they deem fit from time to time to regulate the quality of teachers, teaching and the training process.  A close study of the practice in each state as observed by Ajibade reveals that there are similarities in the conditions and process for training. There are about forty states that have reciprocity arrange units and this allows them to inter change teachers willingly.  As a result, New York State which happens to be one of the states with reciprocal working agreement will be used as illustration for this study.

Programmes

There are three basic college education programmes for teachers in New York State, and these are bachelor degree programme in any of:

• Early childhood education (birth to grade 2)

• Childhood education (grades 1- 6)

• Childhood education (1- 6) with an extension for Bilingual education

• Adolescence education (grades 7-12) with emphasis on one of the following subjects:  Biology, Chemistry, English, Mathematics, Modern Language, among others

• Special subjects (all grades) with emphasis on music education, and physical education

Alternative preparation programme model that aims at mature second career partners. It features an accelerated introductory component that will be followed by paid employment, with extensive mentoring, course work and other supports from the college and school district.

Masters/Higher degree in education which could be in one of the following areas:

• A graduate teacher education programme in any of the state’s higher education institutions that prepares teachers or

• A master’s degree or higher programme in any field after covering the necessary semesters of related study or

• A master’s degree or higher programme in the core area of initial certificate or related content areas

A product of any of the above programmes is eligible to teach in New York State, but employment as a teacher is not automatic after the completion of any of the programmes.

This is because there are procedures to follow for certification and licensing before employment.  For certification, there are requirements to be met depending on the level of qualification.  According to Ajibade there are two categories of certification there are: initial and provisional.

• Initial certification: Before a candidate can apply for teaching position at 

• Any level, he must have a minimum pass of GPA 2.5 at the final 

• Examination. Anything below is not acceptable. There are other 

• Conditions to be considered such as successful completion of student 

• Teaching with evidence from cooperating teachers and college 

• Supervisors and reporting seminar and recommendation from the dean of education and state certifying officer

Provisional certification

This certificate is given to a student who complete college approved teacher certification programme and within five years has completed a master’s degree in a functionally related area or complete two additional section of New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE)

License for Teaching in U.S.A

Teaching after a degree in education is not automatic. There is the need to apply formally for teaching, certification and license to teach from the state education department.  Application for teaching must be submitted about three months before the completion of the programme.  Each certification requires licensing and one license cannot cover two areas such as teaching English in the secondary school and in the junior high school is not possible. Both would need separate licenses. After due clearance with the security agents and other needed areas of information, a certified provisional certificate is issued and this would allow the holder to teach on full time or part-time basis.

Teaching profession in England

Teaching is a highly rated profession in England.  There are set values and codes for prospective teachers to guide them in their choice of teaching as a career.  This is because of the high expectations from teachers generally.  It is accepted that teachers inspire and lead young people, helping them to achieve their potentials as fulfilled individuals and productive member of the society.  This is very unique, vital, and far reaching in the development of the nation. Teachers need individual judgment and skills to meet the challenges of their profession.  Their roles are complicated and varied within the framework of set legislation with a high sense of accountability.  This makes teaching in England one of the demanding and rewarding professions.  According to Ajibade, to make a career of teaching, there is a need for a strong sense of vocation in accepting special challenges, and the choice to improve the opportunities available to the younger ones.

In England, teachers have responsibilities to their students, society, their peers, other professions and professionals, interested groups and themselves.  All these strongly influenced the choice and training of people for their school system.  It becomes necessary to pick the best students and give them the best training while preparing them for their roles and responsibilities.

The training process in England is similar to what operates in Nigeria.  It appears that Nigeria extracted part of English system to build the core of the operation in its school system.

There are basic requirements for all candidates that would make teaching a career in England.  It is compulsory for such candidates to have the following:

• A grade C or above in mathematics and English language at G.C.S.E. O’Level

• For primary teaching, if the candidate is born after 1st December, 1979, he must have grade C or above in science at G.C.S.E

• For candidates at school or college, two A’ levels of which at least one should be in a national curriculum subject and should be closely related to the subject the candidate would like to teach

There are options for the prospective teacher:

• Have an undergraduate degree in a subject and follow it with a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).  This is for a period of two years

• A four-year B.Ed or other degree course which incorporates study in education as well as the chosen subject specialization

• There are employment-based routes into teaching. Graduates who do not wish to undertake a full time PGCE course can take a Graduate Training Programme through teaching placement and earn some money while the training lasts

Career Exploration

Ibeh observed that there is career exploration that provides guidance and advice to prospective career teachers.  This is to help people to take informed decisions about their choice of career.  There are open school programmes at the early stages of considering teaching as a career.  Opportunities are provided for such people to spend time in schools and observe the schooling procedure.  There is also a scheme for students considering career in teaching whereby he spend ten or more days in a classroom with an experienced teachers.  Ajibade also said that there is another programme tagged taste course programmes for people trying to apply for initial teacher training, where they are introduced to the challenges and benefits of teaching as a profession.   

Initial Training Partnership

To be qualified to teach, there would be an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) provided to work in partnership with schools to ensure that they are fully and actively involved in planning and teaching, as well as in the selection and final assessment of trainees. The government had approved the establishment of regional and national partnership managers to cover all the regions of the country and monitor the National Partnership Project for the training of teachers.

Nigel [5] reiterated that the teachers in making are expected to know and understand what they need to do to be qualified for the award according to him. The conditions to be met include:

• Knowledge and understanding of the subjects to be taught, pupils’ progression and the teachers’ expectations of them

• Professional values and practice which would include attitudes and commitment to be expected of anyone qualifying to be a teacher and the professional code of the General Training Council of England

• Teaching, planning, expectations and targets. Teachers are expected to set challenging and learning objectives which are relevant to all the pupils in their classes use them to plan lessons, select and prepare resources for effective teaching, take active part in cooperative activities and plan activities that are relevant to the ages of their pupils

• Teaching which would include monitoring and assessing the pupils, by adopting various methods and strategies in monitoring and assessing the pupils to know their progress towards the planned lesson objective

• Teaching and class management.  This involves building a      conducive environment for teaching and learning and effective subject delivery

Important Lessons to be learnt from U.S.A. and English Methods of Training Teachers

• In both countries teaching is seen and accepted as a profession

• There are grades in the certificate issued

• Graduates of education are not employed as qualified teachers immediately and directly after graduating

• There is the need to obtain a license to teach at any grade

• Each state dictate what is to be paid to their teachers

• Education in child welfare is a condition for employment as a teacher

• Final assessment of student teachers is interdependent on his teaching ability, level of pass, input from monitoring staff in school of posting and a supervisor within the institution of training

• Teaching is accepted as more important and more valuable than other professions

The researcher has discussed the training processes in the United State of America and England.  This could be a foundation for attempting a positive change in Nigeria method of training teachers for teaching profession.  The researcher has equally buttressed the need for more positive motivation in various forms and degrees to make teaching attractive to prospective teachers and admonished others yet undecided to choose teaching as their careers. When quality and interested people are attracted to teaching in Nigeria, training them would be relatively easy and more rewarding.

Need for Character and Moral Training of Teachers in Nigeria

The call for professionalism in teaching also calls for the need for the teacher to be morally sound in character and attitude. Babarinde and Ntui [6] maintained that The National Policy of Education in Nigeria sees education as that process that helps to develop the whole man physically, mentally, morally, politically, socially, and technologically to enable him function in any environment in which he finds himself133.  If this conception of education is anything to go by then teachers need to be morally developed with emphasis on character and attitudinal ‘uprightness’ in their handling of educational resources and other critical concerns of the teaching profession. This justified the inclusion of moral education in the National Policy on Education.

For as long as teachers have been working and living together in communities, the moral regulation of behaviour has been and still necessary to the communities’ well-being.  Fafunwa [7] recommends that the teacher should possess an in-depth understanding of the cultural, moral, social and economic problems of the society where the school is located.

Even the Nigerian teacher can only be very effective if he takes the necessary steps to re-educate himself or herself in terms of the demands of the society and possible adaptation to his/her area of specialization. One may be skeptical about attaining morality in the absolute sense. This is because an issue like morality can be argumentative as different people determined different yardstick for morality. However, there are Common grounds minimally expected of human conduct and behaviour as distinguished from animal, which seemingly have no sense of right or wrong [8]. Principles or standards of human conduct, sometimes called ethics have engaged philosophers from ancient time up to contemporary times. 

Uduigwomen submitted that moral standards depend on the social setting and that the authority invoked for good conduct may be the will of a deity, the pattern of nature, or the rule of reason.   When the will of a deity is the authority, obedience to the divine commandments in scriptural texts is the accepted standard of conduct.  If the pattern of nature is the authority, conformity to the qualities attributed to human nature is the standard.  When reason rules, behaviour is expected to result from rational thought.

Sometimes, principles even in educational studies like equality of access and opportunities, provision of educational resources among others are chosen which ultimate value is not determined quantitatively or otherwise, in the belief that such a determination is impossible.  Such ethical philosophy usually equates satisfaction in life with prudence, pleasure, moderation of power, but it is basically derived from belief in the ethical doctrine of natural human fulfillment as the ultimate good. 

Socrates in his teachings, as represented in the dialogues of his pupil, Plato maintained that ‘virtue is knowledge, and that people will be virtuous if they know what virtue is; and vice, or evil, is the result of Ignorance.  Thus, according to Socrates, education can make somebody moral. This can be achieved if teachers as well as all the stake holders moderate their desires as well as practice what they preach in and out of the classrooms, churches, mosques, public offices and other possible places.

As a way of professionalizing teaching in a real sense, efforts should be made to ensure that the appointment of teachers is based on intellectual merit, training and re-training. Newly employed teachers should be attached to experienced colleagues as mentors and guides for a probationary period to enable the determination of moral merit and not political patronage. The greatest need of the world today is men of unshakable convictions, men of integrity, men who will call a spade by its name.  Because the rot of a tree normally starts at the top, staff and leaders of Nigerian institutions of learning must be people who are above board. In the phase of this understanding, if this morality is conceived in the absolute sense, teacher may impose his own idea of good to the students, therefore, given no opportunity for the learners to determine what is good for them. Ordinarily, an immoral teacher cannot be called professional since morality should conform to the demand of the society. The criteria for professionalism like ethical codes of conduct for professional, qualitative services to society, exalting service above self among others, if properly put into practice by the teacher could serve as pragmatic approaches to the professionalization of teaching. 

1. Durosaro. "Teacher education in Nigeria: Past, present and future challenges." Journal of the Oyo State College of Education, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 22–30, 2006.

2. Arogundade, O.B. "Teacher education in Nigeria." Ado-Ekiti: Tomol Venture, 2001.

3. Jekanyinfa, A.A. "Characteristics of professions." In I.O. Abimbola and A.O. Abolade (Eds), Fundamental principles and practice of instructions. Ilorin: Department of Curriculum Studies and Educational Technology, 2005.

4. Osasona, M.O. "Assessment of teachers’ performance in English language teaching in Kaduna Polytechnic large classes." A paper presented at the 31st conference of the International Association for Educational Assessment, Abuja, Nigeria, pp. 65–80, 2005.

5. Nigel, G. "Teacher professional duties and teachers' legal liabilities and responsibilities." UK: University of Hertfordshire Educational Department, 2003.

6. Babarinde, S.A. and Ntui, Valentine. "Contemporary philosophy of education and teaching for productivity in 21st century Nigerian’s education." Journal of Educational Philosophy, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 15–27, 2006.

7. Fafunwa, B. "Perspective in African education." Ibadan: Macmillan & Co, 1974.

8. Uduigwomen, Andrew F. "Morality of intergroup relationships." An online educational research journal. African Educational Research Network, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 35–50, 2006.