Some incentives promised by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, which will give teachers their reward here on earth are yet to be fulfilled three years after.

Only the 65 years tenure elongation pledge has been fulfilled.

On the occasion to mark the World Teacher’s Day in 2020, the former President approved special packages for teachers and those aspiring to join the profession.

They are: Special salary scale for basic and secondary school teachers; Increase of mandatory service year from 35 years to 40 years; Construction of low-cost houses for teachers in the rural areas; Special allowance for teachers in the rural areas; Peculiar allowance for science teachers; Automatic admission into public schools for biological children of teachers.

They were also to enjoy free tuition; Automatic employment for Education graduates; Provision of loan facilities for agriculture, housing, cars, motorcycles, among others.

But three years later, National President of Nigerian Union of Teachers, Titus Amba said only the elongation of service has kick started at the centre and to an extent at the level of some states.

“A good number of state governments are yet to key into the new retirement for teachers and we have written to such state government to use the world teachers’ day to make pronouncement and other incentives,” he said

The NUT President who spoke with reporters on Tuesday ahead of this year’s World Teacher’s Day celebrated every October 5 globally in Abuja, added: “Up till now, none of the other incentives have gotten across to teeming teachers of Nigeria but with the commitment you mentioned that the current administration leaders will be central to teachers welfare and others we want to believe that you will use your good office to make sure that those incentives that are attached to the pronouncement for Nigeria teachers.”

But the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, David Adejo said when the Federal Government rolled out its revitalisation policy for teaching, there were 11 items and the government had taken up to six.

“One is the elongation in year of service, the challenge is that the act was signed for people to go back to classroom and teach, there scholarship for students for every students studying education in our university and that is being implemented and continuous professional development of teachers, we cannot go at once all over so we are doing it systematically,” he said.

Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman said the government has done its part by extending the elongation period of service for teachers from 60 to 65 years and 40 years with the aim of getting principal officers to go back to the classroom after finishing their administrative responsibilities.

Prof Mamman noted that some people are resisting going back to the classroom, saying, “All those who are in that category, where the situation warrants should happily go back to classroom if they don’t the ministry will wield the big stick because it is not right.”

The minister said: “This Is where you started and earned your livelihood, I thought it is fun to go back to classroom at that age and life and anticipate mentoring of the younger ones, so it is not a forum for someone to refuse going to the classroom.”

He said It was important for them to do that to sustain the quality of training and be a model to their colleagues and students.

The minister said the theme of the year, “The teachers we need for the Education we want: The global imperative to reverse teacher shortage,” brings to the fore one of the main challenges confronting the education system.

“Every society needs quality education for sustainable development, and every education system needs the right quantity and quality of teachers to achieve set goals. It is Important therefore that the acute shortage of teachers experienced in many schools especially at the basic education subsector is given due attention by all tiers of government,” he said.

The minister also sought prayers for students who are in captivity in Zamfara and appeal for the release of the students to come back to their study, stating that “it underscore the point that security needs to do more to secure our schools especially in vulnerable areas, they should review strategies for securing the schools and redouble their efforts to get the students released.” (The Nation)

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