NUT Demands 65-year Retirement Age
The Nigeria Union of Teachers(NUT) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into law the bill seeking to increase the retirement age of teachers/education officers from 60 to 65.
NUT’s National President, Muhammed Idris, stated this during a briefing in Abuja to mark the International World Teachers Day.
He said that the union would not rest on its demand to see that the bill is assented to by the president.
According to him: “I wish to also acknowledge the collaborative efforts of the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigeria Union of Teachers and other stakeholders to see that our age-long demand for review of the retirement age of teachers/education officers from 60 to 65 is addressed.
“We urge all of us not to rest on our oars until the bill is signed into law.”
He commended Buhari for sustaining the sponsorship of the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award to honour and reward outstanding teachers in the country.
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, said the ministry has put in place mechanisms to strengthen the implementation of teacher education in the country.
The minister listed the mechanisms to include: reviewing the quality assurance/monitoring instruments in line with global best practice, engagement of independent quality assurance teams and stakeholders in monitoring of all academic activities.
Others are: conducting nationwide capacity building workshops for 100, 000 teachers at basic and post basic levels through the support of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Adamu, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, added that teacher development and motivation were central to efforts the ministry is making to reposition the education sector to meet national aspirations.
“The ministry is systematically and fully committed to constant upgrading of the teaching standards and contents to boost teacher quality in Nigeria.
“We are leaving no stone unturned in our quest to ensure that teachers are professionally qualified, empowered and adequately remunerated, motivated and supported for efficiency and effectiveness,” the minister said.