Nigeran government says special salary for teachers underway

The federal government has disclosed that plans are afoot to boost the remuneration of teachers and their conditions of service.

Minister of Education for State, Chukwuemeka Uwajiuba, disclosed this on Thursday in Benin during the Seplat Energy Education Roundtable and STEP Certificate Award ceremony for trained teachers.

“The special salary scale for teachers in basic and secondary schools, including provision for rural posting, science teachers’ allowance, and other
peculiar allowances are some of the juicy packages in the pipeline for teachers,” he said.

Represented by his Technical Adviser, Mrs Muna Onuzo-Adetona, he said the present administration would continue to do everything within its power to continue to fund education and strive to address the lingering issues of the teaching profession.

He explained that President Muhammadu Buhari had been making instructive policies to bring about a robust reform in the education sector, especially in the teaching profession, to make it dynamic, nationally relevant, and globally competitive.

According to him, the federal government, in recognition of the role of teachers in nation-building, had graciously approved the extension of the retirement age for teachers, from 60 to 65 years, and the length of service from 35 to 40 years.

Earlier, the external affairs and sustainability officer of SEPLAT energy, Dr Chioma Nwachukwu, said 214 teachers and 6 Chief Inspectors of Education were trained through Seplat Teachers Empowerment Programme (STEP).

“STEP is designed to promote teacher’s creative thinking, provide training on teaching applications for Science, Technology, Arts and Mathematics
(STEAM),” she said.