The Nigerian Government has inaugurated a national implementation Committee to work out modalities on the special salary scale and other incentives for teachers in basic secondary schools recently approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Committee was inaugurated by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, and was tagged “ National Implementation Committee on the revitalization and repositioning of the teaching profession in Nigeria,” chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono.
The Minister listed some of the incentives to include, but not limited to “Enhanced entry point for teachers in the civil service by restricting entry into the teaching profession only to highly gifted, academically outstanding students/ scholars with the right attitudinal and emotional disposition.
“National Implementation Committee on the revitalization and repositioning of the teaching profession in Nigeria.”
“Special Teacher Salary Scale for teachers in basic and secondary schools, including provision for rural posting allowances, science teachers allowances, and peculiar allowance.
“Harmonised retirement age, and teaching service for teachers in Nigeria.
“Special Teacher Pension Scheme to enable the teaching profession to retain its experienced talents as well as extend teachers retirement age to 65 years and teaching service years to 40 years.
“Create a career path policy for the teaching profession in Nigeria,” Adamu said.
Adamu added that the conviction of President Buhari was that the teaching profession must be recognized as a major enabler to the nation’s stride to development.
The Minister also urged the Committee to begin the process of improving Nigeria’s education sector to meet 21st century needs and acknowledge the need for improved welfare of Nigerian teachers.
“I urge you to accord it all the importance it deserves and hopefully reverse the years of neglect of our teachers and begin the process of revamping our educational system, that will be responsive to the 21st-century demands.
“The universally accepted dictum states that no system can rise above the quality of its teachers. Unfortunately, our story has been that of the neglect of the teaching profession with all the attendant consequences in brain drain, poor incentives to the teaching profession, and poor quality graduates.
“There was, therefore, clamor for improved general welfare and conditions of service for the teaching profession across all tiers of government,” he said.
He added that the competence and dedication of teachers should determine the quality of graduates the Nigerian education sector produces and disclosed the Committee would introduce a strategy for implementation and presented it to the Council Meeting before the end of the year.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government while marking this year’s World Teachers Day had announced the approval of a Special Salary Scale for teachers across the country.
The Government also announced plans to hire teachers with First Class or Second Class Upper (2.1) as a minimum requirement in a new career path policy for Nigerian teachers.
