• As NUT raises alarm over Mass Exodus Of Teachers From Niger
From John Adams, Minna
The Speaker, Niger state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkindaji has said that the only way to improve the standard of education in the country is for government at all levels to give priority to the welfare of Teachers in our various level of education.
The Speaker said the narratives of Teachers reward is in heaven has greatly affected the standard of education, adding that “let us give Teachers their reward on earth for the good if our education”.
The Speaker spoke In Minna on Thursday in his goodwill message at the occasion of this year’s World Teachers Day which has as it’s theme: “The Teachers We need For Education We want: The Global Imperative To Reverse Teacher Shortage” at the Teachers House.
Sarkindaji pointed out that rather than paying lip-service to the welfare of Teachers in the country, government should be genuinely committed towards addressing the welfare, stressing that”if there any day that should be celebrated apart from Independence day is world Teachers day”.
While commending the Nigerian Teachers for their sacrifices in the face of challenges, the Speaker assured the Teachers that the Niger State House of Assembly will come up with legislations with a view to review our old Education laws in other to improve the quality of Education in the State, stressing that “the law will concentrate on the areas that affects the welfare of teachers.
Meanwhile the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Niger State has raised the alarm over Mass Exodus of qualifed Teachers from the state, attributing the trend to poor remuneration, lack of adequate welfare and teaching materials for teachers as well as decayed educational infrastructure in the state.
The Union also attributes the situation to the government’s refusal to implement agreements reached with teachers in addition to refusal to fully implement the Teachers Salary Scale structure.(TSS).
State Chairman of the Union Comrade Akayago Adamu Mohammed pointed out that 10 years after the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) approved the Teachers Salary Structure for teachers across the country ” only 8% and 2%have been implemented for professional and non professional teachers in the state, adding that the N30,000 minimum wage has also not been fully and properly implemented for secondary school teachers as agreed with organized labour.
“These and others have contributed to the Mass Exodus of teachers from the state” Akayago declared adding also that ” Teachers deserve special palliative package arising from the present most challenging working economic situation in the country.
The NUT chairman however commended teachers in the state for ” keeping their heads high even in the face of all odds”
The State Governor Alhaji Mohammed Umar Bago in an address to the event promised that all issues that has to do with education at all levels will be given top priority by the administration.
Bago who was represented by his deputy Comrade Comrade Yakubu Garba said government had already paid N4bn counterpart funds to donor agencies saying physical draw downs will soon commence before advising that judicious use of the funds should be made to justify the huge investments.
The government donated some text books and other teaching materials to all the zonal education authorities in the state.