By Ifeoma Asika, Senior Correspondent Campuses
The President and Chairman of Council of the Computer Professionals (Registration) Council of Nigeria(CPN), Kole Jagun, held an interactive session with Information Technology (IT) Teachers in tertiary institutions on Thursday March 3, 2022.
The Forum for Information Technology (IT) Teachers in Tertiary Institutions was conceived as an exclusive networking event, to bring together Information Technology Lecturers in all the institutions of higher learning in Nigeria with the objective of fostering togetherness amongst them.
In his welcome speech, the Registrar/Secretary to Council, Muhammad Bello Aliyu said part of the reasons why Council came up with the programme was to enable IT teachers to network and discuss on issues of common interest that are emergent in Information Technology in order to come out with decisions that will impact positively on the industry, the profession, and the nation. Mr. Aliyu said that the meeting was also intended to create an interest on general fiscal policy as it affects the teaching of Computer Science in all the institutions of higher learning.
The CPN President and Chairman of Council, said the interactive session was in fulfillment of one of the promises he made when he was campaigning for the office of the President and Chairman of Council. He said he appreciated what the academia; Information Technology (IT) Lecturers who formed a critical and very important segment of CPN membership, were doing for the advancement of the teaching of IT.
Jagun gave the rationale for the Information Technology (IT) Teachers in Tertiary institutions in Nigeria to include the following:
1. To champion CPN‘s interactive engagement with IT Teachers in an organized manner identifying opportunities, challenges and solutions
2. Facilitate engagement towards the advancement and development of IT Education
3. Foster unity and togetherness and give IT Teachers a sense of belonging in CPN
4. Build the capacity, expand the horizons and improve the effectiveness of IT Teachers in the learning and teaching of Computer Science and related programs in tertiary institutions
5. Promote high academic standards, professional competence and currency, ethical practice and exemplary conduct among IT Teachers
6. Contribute towards closing the Education-Industry gap
7. Enable IT teachers to learn, network, contribute and discuss on issues of common interest in the development and use of established and emerging technologies in education
8. Improve CPN awareness, value and appreciation in academic communities – about CPN and the benefits, essence and importance of CPN
9. Proffer actionable solutions to challenges militating against the affective learning and teaching of Information Technology/ Computer Science in tertiary institutions, the role of IT Teachers and IT Education
10. Ensure IT Education solutions impact the nation, industry and profession positively.
The meeting deliberated extensively on wide range of issues as it affects the teaching of IT courses in institution of higher learning in Nigeria, and the President and Chairman of Council assured them of Council’s unflinching support.
