President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a new special salary scale for teachers in basic and secondary schools, including provisions for rural posting allowance, science teachers allowance and peculiar allowance.
He also approved special pension scheme that would enable the teaching profession retain its experienced talents, and also extended teachers’ retirement age to 65 years and teaching service years to 40.
The president also reintroduced bursary award to students in universities and colleges of education with assurance of automatic employment upon graduation.
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 an event to mark the 2020 World Teachers Day, in Abuja, yesterday, said the special packages was to attract and retain the best brains in the teaching profession and also encourage best graduates to take up careers in the teaching profession.
In order to motivate and restore the lost glory of teachers, the president also approved the building of low cost houses 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.
“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’s CRS school, Iboko Offot, Uyo emerged first and second runners-up, respectively in the 2020 public school teachers award category.
Similarly, Istifanus Caroline, 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.
