Buhari approves special salary for Nigerian teachers
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a special salary scale for teachers in the country and also increased the number of years of service from 35 to 40.
Penpushing reports that, Buhari made this known during the celebration of the 2020 World Teachers Day, adding that the implementation of the new salary scheme is to encourage teachers in delivering better service
The President who was represented by the Education Minister Adamu Adamu,at the ceremony with the theme, ‘The World Teachers’ Day is Teachers: leading in crisis, reimagining the future; said teachers have the power to shape and reshape the lives of young people and help learners to enhance their potentials.
“Only great teachers can produce excellent people and students that will make the future of our country great. A positive or negative influence of a teacher on any child will have an effect on that child. Therefore the federal government is ensuring quality education to access,” he said.
Penpushing further reports that, the President also assured that his administration has resolved that quality education of teachers in terms of engagement of continued professional development has to be given priority.
“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,” he said.
The Nigerian President disclosed that there will be a special pension scheme to enable the teaching profession to retain its experienced talents as well as extend teachers retirement age to 65 years and the duration of teachers years to 40 years.
“My administrative has resolved that quality education of teachers in terms of engagement of continued professional development has to be given priority,” Buhari emphasized, adding that there will be Special Salary Scale for Teachers in Basic and Secondary Schools, “including provisions for rural posting allowance, science teachers allowance and peculiar allowance”.
Penpushing also reports that, Buhari said other promises include building low-cost housing for teachers in rural areas, sponsorship to at least one refresher training per annum to benchmark best practices for improved teaching and learning.
“Expansion of the annual Presidential Teachers and Schools Awards to cover more categories and for the outstanding,” he said.
The President stated that he has approved the reintroduction of bursary award to education students in Universities and Colleges of Education with the assurance of automatic employment upon graduation.
“The payment of stipends to Bachelor of Education students as well as granting them automatic employment after graduation is now a government policy,” he said, adding that the Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND) will now fund teaching practice in Universities and Colleges of Education.
