SOCIOLOGICAL OVER-VIEW OF TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIA (1979-1999)

Abstract

The concern of this study is to establish, content-wise,a supposed dimension of   good teacher Education ,considering the past. This is because teacher education programmes have been regarded as important in national planning. This explains that the success of any educational programme depends very much on the availability of equally well-trained teachers, seeng that they are often times the chief agents who implement such programmes in the classroom. Unfortunately, many people entered the teaching profession with no determination to remain dedicated or devoted to the high ideals required of this profession. Thus effective teacher education programmes must be able to attract high caliber teaching personnel in order to improve its productivity and quality. To achieve the objectives of this study, the paper adopts content analysis of interviews and observational techniques as means of getting the required data relevant. Also existing documents from the Federal and  the Rivers State Ministries of Education  were employed. The study observed among other things, discrepancies in the application of standards in our teacher training institutions which no doubt have implications for the educational process. The study suggests that in service programme together with the five-fold dimension established by the researcher, form an essential element of teacher education in Nigeria.