Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
Teachers in Kogi State Friday rejected the current percentage payment of their salaries and demand for the payment of their hundred percent salaries as it is been paid to their counterparts in the State civil service.
Primary school teachers in the past few years have been receiving 20- 25 percent of their monthly salaries with many been owed 20- 24 months outstanding
The Kogi state Chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers , Comrade Thomas Ayodele Aderemi who made this demand on behalf of the teachers during the occasion of this year world teachers day said teachers in the state are dying in dozens due to non payment of their salaries.
The State Chairman who described the teaching profession as the most neglected called on the political office holders not to treat teachers as lepers as he said they are the conscience of the nation.
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The NUT boss however advocated for the establishment of Nigerian Teachers Training Institute for the training and retraining of Teachers on daily basis.
The Chairman amongst others called for the full implementation of minimum wage for primary school teachers, as well as a return of primary school teachers salary to SUBEB against the current partial return.
The Chairman demanded the provision of adequate instructional materials to schools, saying the deduction of teachers salary should be made a first line charge at Joint Allocation Account Committee.
While calling for the harmonization of salary payroll to include all those cleared, the NUT Chairman appealed for the payment of salary arrears to teachers who are on the cleared list.
The State NUT Chairman called for the release of outstanding promotions and incremental rates owed teachers, said training and retraining program for primary school teachers be made necessary, as well as the computation and payment of outstanding leave grant to teachers.
He called for the speedy conclusion of review of teachers who are on the uncleared list by the office of the Head of Service in collaboration with SUBEB, saying the need to make teachers computer literate now has become apt, and appealed for the training of teachers to be computer literate..
He also called on the Federal government to re establish the phased out Teachers’ colleges to enhance quality of education in the country.