President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday approved a special salary scale for Nigerian teachers and also increased the years of service from 35 years to 40 years.
The President also increased retirement for teachers from 60 to 65 years.
He disclosed this in Abuja during the occasion of the 2020 World Teacher’s Day.
The theme of this year’s celebration is ‘Teachers: Leading in crisis re-imagining the future’.
President Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu directed the Ministry of Education to facilitate the implementation of the new teachers’ salary scheme saying this will encourage the teachers in delivering better service.
He explained that teachers have the power to shape and reshape the lives of young people and help learners to enhance their potentials.
He said: “Only great teachers can produce excellent people and students that will make the future of our country great. A positive or negative influence of teacher on any child will have effect on that child. Therefore the federal government is ensuring quality education to access
“My administration has resolved that quality education of teachers in terms of engagement of continued professional development has to be given priority.
“The future of this country will be a function of quality education delivered to our children today and this depend on the quality of our teachers and the quality of our teachers depend on the motivation and their motivation depends on how happy they are doing what they are doing.
“To address these challenges, my administration has approved the following for teachers and the teaching profession. That in order to attract investment in the teaching profession, the quality of the introduction of bursary award has been restored.
“There will be a special pension scheme to enable the teaching profession retain its experience talent as well as extend teachers retirement age to 65 years and the duration of teachers years to 40 years.
“And that is to create a career path policy for the teaching profession in Nigeria and gives speedy teachers to programme and ICT training” he stated.
President Buhari also added that his administration had also approved the building of low cost housing for teachers in rural areas, the sponsorship of teachers, prompt payment of salary and timely promotion of teachers to eliminate stagnation.
He said this would motivate and restore the lost glory of teachers and teaching in the country.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Education, Mr Chukuemeka Nwajuiba identified the teaching profession as the greatest profession in the world which must be accorded adequate recognition and respect.
Nwajuiba noted that the picture of a Nigerian teacher in the 1960s and 1970s which connotes discipline needed to be replicated in today’s profession.
According to him, having a day to celebrate the teacher is just but a token gesture of recognition to the sacrificial contribution of teachers.
