From Yakubu Busari, Jos
Teachers in a match pass during the event
Nigerian Teachers have demanded for an upward review of the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65.
They made the demand during the World Teachers Day Celebration in Plateau State.
Speaking at the event held at Rwang Park in Jos, the Plateau state capital, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Comrade Mohammed Nasir Idris, called on President Buhari to give assent to the bill on retirement currently under review at the National Assembly.
Comr Gana Ayuba, the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Plateau State Chapter in his address called for self- respect, dedication to duty by the teachers in the state while urging the authorities to look into the acute shortage of manpower in rural areas.
According to him, the 2019 the annual celebration with the theme: “Young Teachers :The Future Of The Profession”; seeks to draw the attention of the authorities to the issues of attrition, shortage of teachers, challenges of training young, motivated and dedicated teachers into the teaching profession.
He pointed out that other demands include the approval of “Teachers Salary Structure “(TSS) for professional teachers, the establishment of National Secondary Education Commission, payment for teacher’s gratuity and pension and the non- payment of 27.5 percent professional allowances to the teachers in Unity Schools across the country.”
He thanked Governor Lalong for the recruitment of 4,850 teachers and the regular payment of their salaries and other welfare matters.
The chairman of the occasion, who doubles as the chairman of Primary Education Board in the State, Professor Matthew Sule, lamented the level of insecurity in the country which he said is having negative impart on the attendance of students in some schools in communities in the state .
In his speech, Lalong tasked the to rededicate themselves to their professional calling in the service of mankind, adding that they should see teaching as noble profession and an avenue to serve as role model to their students and pupils. He was represented by Permanent Secretary of the ministry of the education, Dr. Freeman Kum. He assured the teachers of government’s commitment to their welfare
The guest lecturer, Professor Nanven Audu Gambo of the Political Science Department in the University of Jos also challenged the teachers to be ambassador of their profession, stating that the current poor state of education in the country was due to poor funding.
