President Muhammadu Buhari has increased the number of years of teachers from 35 to 40 and approved a special salary scale for them, Reporters At Large reports.
He also approved special pension scheme that would enable the teaching profession retain its experienced talents, and also extend teachers’ retirement age to 65 years and teaching service years to 40.
The President also reintroduced bursary award to education students in universities and colleges of education with assurance of automatic employment upon graduation.
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He also directed the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to make financial provisions for teaching practice in universities and colleges of education.
President Buhari who spoke through the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, at event to mark the 2020 World Teachers Day, in Abuja, on Monday, said the special packages was to attract and retain the best brains into the teaching profession and also encourage best graduates to take up careers in the teaching profession.
The President, in order to motivate and restored the lost glory of teachers approved the building of low cost housing for teachers in rural areas, expansion of annual Presidential Teachers and Schools Excellence Award to cover more categories and for outstanding winners to be considered for National Awards and National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) awards.
He added: “I have also ordered that there should be free tuition and automatic admission for biological children of teachers in their respective schools to encourage and retain them in the system.
“I have directed the Minister of Education to ensure accelerated implementation of these policies and measures in collaboration with states and local governments, office of head of service of the federation, national salaries, income and wages commission, and other relevant agencies.”
President, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Dr. Nasir Idris, in his remarks, described the packages as special teachers day gift from the President.
He assured him that more contributions would come from the teachers as regards the development of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, a teacher from Amoye Grammar School, Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State, Asubiojo Henry Olaoluwa, was crowned as the best public secondary school teacher in Nigeria.
Also, Aliyu Alhasan from IPDI, Minna, and Akpan Eno, from St. Joseph CRS school, Iboko Offot, Uyo, emerged first and second runners-up, respectively, in the 2020 public school teachers award category.
Similarly, Istifanus Caroline, a teacher from ECWA. L. Crawford, Kaltungo, Gombe state, emerged the best private junior school teacher.
Asubiojo Henry Olaoluwa and Caroline Istifanus were presented with brand new cars, in addition to award certificates, while different gift items were presented to other teachers who won different awards.
