A total number of 40,736 students have been inducted and matriculated into the 2015/2016 academic session of the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI).
The ceremony, which was held simultaneously in all the states of the federation, including Abuja, had 14,807 students admitted into the institute’s Postgraduate Diploma in Education Programmes (PGDE); 19,878 students into the Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) Programmes, and 6,061 students into Bachelor’s Degree Programmes, respectively.
Prior to the matriculation, the institute organised a sensitization, orientation and induction programme, which was held simultaneously across the various centers of the institute, for the new students to prepare them for the task ahead.
The Director-General and Chief Executive of the NTI, Dr. Aminu Ladan Sharehu, in his address charged the matriculating students in Kaduna State to take their studies seriously, while stressing the role of effective study skills to the distance learners, saying “the Open and Distance Education (ODE) system of education, which the institute operates, is marked by partial separation of teachers from students.”
The NTI boss enjoined the new intakes to plan their study times and religiously keep to it, adding that, “You are all expected to keep schedule that is proportionate to the number of course you are taking in a semester if you are to make any meaningful headway into your course.”
He stressed that in compliance with 21st Century Academic realities, the institute was considering introducing the Computer Base Test and assignment in testing it students.
The move, according to him, was to encourage students of the institute to use computer more effectively, adding that this would discourage a situation where pupils are more ICT-compliant than classroom teachers.
His words: “In this 21st Century education, where digital resources abound, and information and communication technology has become pervasive, you cannot afford to be left behind.
“This is why the NTI has introduced Computer Tablets in the Postgraduate Diploma Programme. The 300 Level in the Bachelor Degree Programme will be having computer tablets before the end of this session.”
Dr. Sherehu added that “the institute has also introduced E-Learning Clubs in its’ Study Centers across the country.”
He charged the student-teachers to avail themselves of the opportunity provided by the institute to extensively explore the numerous facilities and resources embedded in their computer tablets to study their courses.
In a goodwill message, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academies), Kaduna State University, Prof. Alexander Kure, congratulated the NTI management for continually raising the bar in its’ service delivery, adding that the university was concluding plans to make available more centers for the NTI to run its’ programmes.
Also in his message NTI Lead Consultant on Quality Assurance, Professor Emeritus Thomas Kolawole Adeyanju, charged the matriculating students to be dedicated and focused in their studies, while stressing that the NTI placed premium on quality service.
Prof. Adeyanju, who reiterated the institute’s resolve to always ensure that students are tutored using qualitative course materials and facilitators, commended the Director General of the institute for his administrative dexterities, which he said, have continued to move the institute to greater heights.
