The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS, has charged teachers to uphold professional ethics and embrace Artificial Intelligence, AI, so as to improve teaching and learning in Nigeria’s schools.
The union made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at its 3rd National Leadership Training Workshop, themed, “The Impact of Ethics and Attitudinal Change in Managerial Leadership.”
ASUSS National President, Comrade Sola Adigun, said teachers must combine professional competence with strong ethical standards if they are to regain society’s respect and meet the changing demands of education.
“We have been complaining that we are not well respected, but respect begets respect. If you don’t carry yourself well, people will not respect you,” Adigun said.
He urged teachers to look inward by continually upgrading their knowledge and professional conduct, stressing that educators must be adequately equipped to perform effectively both inside and outside the classroom.
“If we have been complaining about the way society is looking down on us, then we too have to look inward. Looking inward means upgrading ourselves to get the necessary knowledge that will make us ideal teachers both inside and outside the classroom. We cannot give what we don’t have.”
Adigun said the union’s leadership training initiative, now in its third edition, was designed to address gaps in professional ethics, managerial competence and classroom administration among educators.
He added that while ASUSS would continue to advocate improved welfare for teachers, members must also take responsibility for making meaningful contributions to society through quality education.
“Our agitation is also for us to do the right thing and make the right contribution to society. We cannot give the best if we are not the best,” he said.
Speaking on the ethical responsibilities of teachers, Associate Professor Adeola Faleye of the Department of Linguistics and African Languages, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, urged educators to maintain integrity, embrace accountability and continually improve their teaching methods.
“As a teacher, if you carry your image high and uphold the ethics of your profession, you will be respected by the school administration, the students and the society,” Faleye said.
Faleye also called for greater accountability across the education system, identifying ethical responsibility at the individual, management and government levels. She advocated continuous professional development for teachers as well as improved digital training and modern teaching facilities.
Taking the discussion into the digital age, Samuel Ojo of the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, urged teachers to embrace AI as a tool that can complement, rather than replace, professional judgment.
Ojo, who spoke on “Technology, Professionalism and Ethics in the Digital Age,” described AI as “an opportunity and a responsibility.
“AI can support lesson planning, feedback, translation, accessibility, and administration.
“However, we must strike a balance between how it is being used and what it is being used for,” Ojo added.
Chairman of ASUSS in the FCT, Mr Julius Ogundiran, said the training would strengthen teachers’ capacity to lead effectively and accountably, describing the workshop as timely in improving professional standards in the education sector.
