The Diary Game - TS5: A Flashback of Students Lifestyle and the Working Principle of Organizing "Teaching Practice" for Students in Nigerian Universities

Hello Diary,

Permit me to backdate, the purpose of backdating here is legitimate. For this contest, I will be backdating from the picture I took on May 2024, 3 months ago. The reason is that at the time the picture was taken, its aim was not fully achieved, most were not used, and the event that came with it was not fully aired out. So don't think it was a mistake.

^{May Day}

I am a student at a federal university in my country, and I will be showing you a complete student lifestyle ranging from personal responsibility to setting priorities. I won't make comparisons of my lifestyle to that of many; students are of different mothers and different homes, so don't be surprised if we address things differently; that is how it was meant to be.

I took this picture a couple of months ago, and I can remember vividly every event that occurred. As a university student, both curricula, extracurriculars, and personal responsibilities are part of my diary because I lodge around the school premises, and all this leads to attaining our educational goals.

Very early in the morning that day, I woke up Agile and decided to do some cleanups. Student life is a busy one; sometimes we leave the house hoping to return early, at least when the evening shadows have not been cast upon us, but unforeseen circumstances could keep you in school past your stay hours. It may be an assignment, group work, or evening tutorial aimed at enlightening us to clarify some concept that seems ambiguous. Because of this, house chores could be overlooked and shifted to Saturdays.

In this case, mine wasn't shifted, we had a break, and I decided to wash my clothes, knowing fully well that it was an opportunity to keep the few clothes I wore to school classes clean, as the next week might turn out to be a marathon learning and an engaging week.

I intended to rest after a long day of chores and pick up some books to read, but a detour occurred. A call came in from my phone, and I was told that the distribution of the list for students who were to go for teaching practice was out. I left my house and took a Keke ride to the school so that I wouldn't miss answering my name when called.

I arrived, students gathered as usual, names were called, and people answered, but unfortunately, my list was not yet out; I waited till evening, and the person who called out the name was also a student who volunteered to help the lecturer; she was tired when the clock hit 6 p.m. Nigeria time; she is a young nursing mother; what a sacrifice.

I want to brief you a bit on the working principle of the university teaching practice system in Nigeria, specifically the University of Uyo. I am saying that because universities have different boards of directors, they are prone to doing things differently.

^{well dressed teacher}

The faculty that fosters teaching practice in the university is the faculty of education.

• Teaching practice is done twice as a student in this faculty, and this is how it works: educational courses are studied for 4 years, and in the first year you are free from the practice as you will still be termed a fresher.

• In the second year, this is when the practice journey begins. The faculty has a list of schools around and a list of students, and students are spread across both secondary and primary schools. Students in faculties like early childhood are mostly enlisted in primary schools because their training is basically around children from ages 1-12. Students from other departments are distributed to the primary section too whenever the space for the secondary section is filled up. It's a complicated task for the teaching practice coordinator, and I stand to commend them for this. I think this man must have mastered the spreadsheet organising technique.

• In your third year the same procedure takes place, and this year as a 300-level student you are likely to become the group leader. Much would be expected from you; it is assumed that there is a lot you have learnt that your junior colleagues haven't learnt. That is why 200-level and 300-level students are mixed so they can learn interchangeably. The third year is the last of its kind, as the final year is always a year filled with the workload of activities like projects, seminars, and presentations.

If you would love to study education in Nigeria, the above could guide you. So this very day ended without me getting my list; it wasn't ready yet, so I hope to try again the next day. @bossj23 @whizzbro4eva @basil20, pls stop by