1st Roundtable of Teaching Regulatory Authorities in Africa (Abuja 2010)

Announcing the 1st Roundtable of Teaching Regulatory Authorities in Africa

October 11-14, 2010, Abuja – Nigeria

IMPORTANT DATES

Arrival:                      Monday October 11, 2010
Departure:                Thursday, October 14, 2010
Roundtable:              Tuesday-Wednesday, October 12-13, 2010
Registration of Delegates deadline: August 17, 2010.

THEME

The Role of the African Nations in the Globalisation of the Teaching Profession

CONVENERS

Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria
(Federal Ministry of Education)
Plot 567 Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2
P,M,B 526 Garki Abuja
http://www.trcn.gov.ng

And
South African Council for Educators
261 West Street
Private Bag X127
Centurion 0046
South Africa
http://www.sace.org.za

PARENT BODY

International Forum for Teaching Regulatory Authorities [IFTRA]
With Headquarters at the
General Teaching Council for Wales
Southgate House, Wood Street, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 1EW
United Kingdom
http://www.gtcw.org.uk

CONTACT

Dr. Steve Nwokeocha
Director of Professional Operations
Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria
Email: steve.nwoekocha@trcn.gov.ng

And
Ms. Tsedi Dipholo
Chief Operations Officer
South African Council for Educators
Email: tsedi@sace.org.za

INTRODUCTION

The Teaching Regulatory Authorities in all continents (North and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia) of the world have come together under one umbrella called the International Forum for Teaching Regulatory Authorities (IFTRA). The Headquarters of IFTRA is currently at the General Teaching Council for Wales, in the United Kingdom.

The key aims of IFTRA are to promote the professionalisation of teaching globally, set international standards for the profession and facilitate co-operation among member nations for the benefit of the education systems of the various countries. At its 3rd International Conference held in Cardiff Wales, United Kingdom, June 24-26, 2009, IFTRA charged member countries to initiate continental/regional conferences, roundtables and other activities that would help the various continents/regions to contribute effectively to the IFTRA agenda. Furthermore, the IFTRA noted that there were only two teaching councils in the whole of Africa – The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and South African Council for Educators (SACE). Therefore, IFTRA charged TRCN and SACE with the responsibility of engaging African countries constructively in order to bring Africa to the frontline of the new movement for the globalization of the teaching profession.

In the pursuit of the responsibility, TRCN and SACE have resolved to convene the 1st Roundtable of the Teaching Regulatory Authorities of African countries so as to collectively chart the way forward for the continent in the emerging global repositioning of the teaching profession and teachers. Consequently, this announcement of the Roundtable is a clarion call for African countries to rise up to take their place of pride in the comity of nations and impact positively on the international status of their teachers through active participation in the IFTRA platform.

DELEGATES

The Roundtable is open to only delegates of the National, Federal, Regional and/or Provincial Ministries and Agencies of Education that regulate the Education and Practice of Teachers at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of the education system. Each of such Ministries and Agencies in a country is expected to send a maximum of two delegates to the Roundtable.

REGISTRATION OF DELEGATES

The Ministries and Agencies sending delegates to the Roundtable are to officially forward the following details by e-mail to the TRCN Director of Professional Operations or SACE Chief Operations Officer:

• Name of Ministry or Agency
• Contact address, email and telephone number of the Ministry or Agency
• Name of Delegate(s)
• Designation of Delegate(s)
• Contact Address, email and telephone number of the delegate(s)
• A position paper on the professionalization of teaching in the country and the role expected of African teaching regulatory authorities at the global level (Maximum of four A4 pages in MS Word format).

This submission must be made before the due date of August 17, 2010.  Letters of invitation to the Roundtable will be issued to delegates after their nominations have been received from their Ministries and Agencies.

COST OF TRAVEL

Ministries and Agencies are responsible for the travel expenses of their delegates. However, delegates are not required to pay any fees for participation.

VENUE

The National Commission for Colleges of Education, Central Area Abuja, Nigeria.