What we think of special salary scale, increased years of service – Teachers Ahmad Abdulwahab,
President Muhammadu Buhari recently approved a special salary scale for Nigerian teachers and also increased years of service from 35 to 40 during the World Teacher’s Day. Buhari who was represented by the Minister of Education Adamu Adamu at the event said the essence of the special salary and increased years of service is to encourage the teachers in delivering better services. Some teachers expressed their views on this development.
Peter Moses, Abeokuta, Raphael Ogbonnaiye, Ado-Ekiti, Dickson S. Adama, Jos, Hassan Ibrahim, Bauchi
Akeem Lasisi, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Abeokuta
Ithink teachers deserve the best. Teachers deserve good welfare packages. But on the issue of increased service years, I don’t want us to mix politics with the welfare of teachers. I believe the nation is not ripe enough to increase the service years from 35 years 40 years. I am a beneficiary and I will equally benefit from this but in a situation where the rate of unemployment is very high, we need to be very careful. We cannot compare the work of a university lecturer with that of a secondary school or primary school teacher. At over 60 years of age, you may not be useful and relevant in the service. Also, there are political and realistic statements. We don’t know whether this is a political statement or a reality. I want us to be cautious in mixing politics with the future of our children.
Titilope Adebanjo, Ogun State NUT chairman
It is a welcome development. It has been a struggle we embarked upon for a while now. And thank God President Muhammadu Buhari during the last teachers’ day celebration made teachers happy by giving them more opportunities to serve. With all these goodies from the president, I just have to appeal to our state governors to quickly domesticate it so that teachers from the state can benefit from it.
Sola Adigun, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Ado-Ekiti
The announcement by President Muhammadu Buhari, on October 5, 2020, during the celebration of teachers is a welcome development. I know teachers all over the country would be excited because we have been on the struggle for a special salary scale. We believe this will improve the commitment and quality of education. The government has come to realise that the teaching profession is the bedrock of any development in any country. No country can develop or grow without the teachers and for the president to have announced his approval; this is a great gesture for the profession. This will encourage the best brains to be retained in the teaching profession. On the retirement age, it is also a welcome development. It will also allow people that are still agile to contribute to the educational development in the country. The president and all stakeholders should ensure speedy implementation.
Martha Gyang, Head Mistress, Jos
This is a good policy from President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and we are happy. The president should ensure that this policy is fully implemented because that has been our problem as a nation. Teachers in this nation have been suffering over the years, and anything that will uplift their welfare is a welcome development. It is because of the poor state of teachers’ welfare and well-being that many qualified people don’t want to go into the teaching profession. But should President Buhari ensures its full implementation, it would be a good legacy.
The new salary scale is a good initiative because it will improve the mindset of teachers. But with the increased years of service, what about will younger generations, how would they fit into the system. The government should have a rethink about the increase of age service.
30, Bauchi