₦airaland Forum

akubudejud:
PLEASE..! If you are reading this post deliberately or by chance,I will beg you to be very objective and learn from this rather than criticizing or condemning how the presentation is made ,this is my personal experiences and may not apply to every body, follow the thread and learn, this post is not intending to showcase my writing skills or to down-grade any career or advertise any establishment, however it is meant to encourage the minds of many intelligent unemployed graduate out there through my own past experience..Thank you.

Now,let me start from my school days,..Many years ago in the University my aims and objectives like any other undergraduate is to struggle hard to graduate with good grade, 2:1 grade at least, leave the school get a wonderful job that can fetch me good money to start life possibly getting another degree or starting a family,this is always our dreams back at school.But personally I was wrong, life in the campus is quite different from the outside life.Please, at this juncture,I am talking to those of us that are from an average family and not those whose parent had already starched money into their bank account or reserve a position for in a big conglomerate.

Now, I left school for my NYSC like many of us did, I was too much in a hurry to finish my NYSC because I believe my certificate is a straight ticket to work in Shell ,NNPC,GLO, MTN, NLG, GTBANK, HALLIBURTON,CHEVRON just name them,these establishments are very good places to work no doubt,I was known in all test venue all over the country writing one test or the other and after a lot of frustrated attempt, I remember the Federal government jobs in all the Ministries including state ministries,tried the Nigerian police, Army ,Navy ,Air force,Road safety and so on and so forth..No Godfather No Job..Even after a successful Aptitude Test and interviews no Job, I AM getting older, my age is disappointing me to get certain good Job that I desired, earlier however, along the line, during my Youth service, I was introduced to teaching but I ended up quarreling with my adviser even though I enjoyed teaching during the time I served as a youth corper.

Now, am jobless but intelligent, the flashes of my NYSC days when I was posted to a secondary school as a teacher kept coming in..TEACHER!! God forbid Who want to be a TEACHER ,after all David Osho was my course mate in school He is presently with Chevron..I am a graduate of Geophysics too so why would you wish me such a thing that was always my reaction...I remain jobless while so many job vacancies were been advertised every day from old and new schools looking for qualify and intelligent teachers all over Nigeria.

After many years of roaming about the street of Lagos ,Abuja, Portharcourt, Ibadan etc. I settled down for a private school where I was completely used up every day for a pay as low as N 7,000.00 PER month incredible..!(not exaggerating here) very small to start with you may say.

But hear this, after a while I began to study the system gather money to develop myself in the field and fortunately things started changing in the educational sector in Nigeria, Teachers started earning respect from people. Thank God and the NTI-(National Teacher's Institute) and TRCN (Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria) as they Started standardizing the profession.

Through hard work however,I learnt the rudiment of teaching and I started having different views and understanding about some schools in Nigeria running both Nigerian and British curriculum in education, I then apply to one of the International school around after my PGDip Ed. and sincerely speaking ,I never thought I could enjoy teaching not only by the act but by what one could learn and gain from this type of high caliber secondary schools and other government schools in Nigeria.

So now,if you are in the line of education already I congratulate you. Imagine the multitude of NYSC graduates passing out and other intelligent graduates from Higher Institutions roaming the street claiming to be graduate of Universities and polytechnics wasting away looking for job that is NOT even available.

When moving around Lagos one day I remember with great pity how many like me refusing to start something small...Please, let us re-think and plan for ourselves you can pursue your dream but don't relegate any profession it could be your saving grace..WE ALL CAN NOT BE TEACHERS BUT YOU CAN AS WELL APPRECIATE THIS NOBLE PROFESSION.

NOW APART FROM THE CONVENTIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS LIKE THE ONE YOU AND I ATTENDED WHICH IS ACTUALLY BETTER NOW IN NIGERIA TO START A CAREER IN TEACHING,...WE NOW HAVE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA OPERATING ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL AND PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY PAY VERY WELL.

Schools Like....

Grange school Lagos.
Day waterman college ASU Ogun State.
Dowen College Lagos.
Olashore International School(OIS) Osun State.
Atlantic Hall lagos.
British International School.(BIS)
Redeemers International school Lagos.
Bloombred International secondary school Portharcourt.
Temple school Lagos.
Corona School.
Meadow Hall School.
Pampers School and
so many others too numerous to mention.

These are AISEN Schools,(Association of International Schools Educators of Nigeria (AISEN ).However,not all schools using the word 'International' belong to AISEN...check this site(http://www.aisenconference.com/)They operate different salary structures for their staff and provides training for them both local and international some of these schools start from as low as N 100,000.00. The method of teaching is technologically based with the use of ICT and modern facilities, Recently a friend of mine got a job as a Mathematics teacher and they started with N 250,000.00 per month excluding accommodation and other benefits, please I am not exaggerating here to amuse any body also not trying to advertise the schools my point is that if you are intelligent teaching is one career that is very lucrative now in Nigeria and will expose you positively.

What you need is to be qualify as a professional in the field, do one or two courses in education and if you already had one, good luck.!

I work in one of the Schools listed above and my orientations about teaching had so far changed,I have my PGDip. Ed and also doing my M.Ed. Internal training from the school helped me with some International recognize certification in education now. I felt I should let you know this little secret, which is not for everybody though!

Please, Joblessness could lead to frustration..Until you start to teach you wouldn't know you are a good teacher,make a move now and as you start small you will soon become large..! God bless you.

Yes, just to add to akubudejud's post above.
I also studied Computer Science in Nigeria and during my NYSC as most of us, I was teaching, and immediately after my service, I came back to Lagos, where I took up a teaching job under TESCOM ( Teaching Service Commission), I did this for 2 years and felt the need to teach outside the country, so I applied for teaching position in an international school in one of the West African Countries. I was offered the job and I relocated.

I taught in the school for 2 years as well, and also applied to another international school in Europe, where I am presently teaching now.
This is not to say there hadn't been challenges during all these, but it is a systematic process and when you are in and understand the working, you actually decide where and how long you want to be with a school. But I will advice you stay longer and you get the necessary package for being with the school for at least 5 years.

And like he rightly said, teachers in international schools get paid hugely, plus health insurance, free or discounted tuition for your children, bonus, summer salary even with the 2 months summer break and many more. The relocation is so smooth and paper work is completely handled for you, flight to wherever you are hired is paid for. I am presently enjoying teaching and still had the opportunity to start and almost completing my Master's degree.

But you must start from somewhere. Teaching is an interesting and creative profession. But you need to start to understand this.
Time will not permit me to share my experience in this profession here. I wish you good luck.