The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has renewed its call on the Federal Government to implement the special salary scale for teachers approved since 2022.
The National President of the NUT, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, who was represented by his deputy, Kizito Agu Kalu, made the call in his address to mark World Teachers’ Day on Monday.
Amba said teachers must receive remuneration that reflects the importance of their responsibilities and the prevailing economic realities in the country.
“We wish to recall that the Federal Government under former President Muhammadu Buhari gave approval for implementation of a special salary scale for teachers in basic and secondary schools in the year 2022 alongside other packages. Unfortunately, four years after the approval, implementation has not commenced,” he said.
He called on government to implement the salary structure to boost teachers’ morale and enhance their dignity, noting that a motivated teacher is an asset to national development.
On working conditions, the NUT President said teachers cannot be expected to perform optimally in environments characterised by overcrowded classrooms, inadequate furniture, poor infrastructure and lack of instructional materials. He called for sustained investment in school infrastructure.
He also decried the acute shortage of teachers across the states, occasioned by non-recruitment by some state governments for many years, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities.
Other demands include continuous professional development for teachers to adapt to changing curriculum, and improved security for teachers and learners.
“No teacher should have to work in fear. The increasing security challenges confronting schools in some parts of Nigeria constitute a serious threat to education,” he said.
He urged government at all levels to make safety of schools a permanent component of education planning.
It would be recalled that on October 5, 2020, during the World Teachers’ Day celebration, former President Muhammadu Buhari announced a special welfare package for teachers in basic and secondary schools.
The package included a distinct Teachers Special Salary Structure (TSS) separate from the general civil service salary scale (CONPSS), alongside rural posting allowances, science teacher allowances and housing incentives.
The government also approved the extension of teachers’ retirement age from 60 to 65 years and years of service from 35 to 40 years.
Ministry officials had stated that the new salary scale would take effect from January 1, 2022 which did not happen.
