TEACHERS CALL FOR BETTER WELFARE PACKAGES
Nigerian Union of Teachers in Enugu State is canvassing the employment of over one thousand teachers to fill vacancies in public schools in the area.
The State Chairman the Union, Comrade Paul Nnaji made the call at an event to mark world Teachers Day in Enugu.
Comrade Nnaji explained that about five hundred teachers might have either-retired, died or earmarked for retirement this year in post primary sector alone, while the number could be double in the primary school sub sector.
The NUT Chairman however, commended the state government for ensuring Industrial harmony through prompt payment of salaries and other incentives.
Ozor Nnaji called for special Housing scheme for teachers to further motivate them
The Assistant Secretary General, Nigeria Union of Teachers Enugu State wing, Comrade Sam Umo Inyang also urged the government to institute special incentives and allowances for teachers in the rural areas as a means of encouraging them.
Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Governor, Mrs Cecelia Ezeilo stressed that Enugu State Government was over committed to improving the welfare of teachers and condition of teaching.
The occasion featured match past by teachers, conferment of awards on ten prominent individuals for their contribution towards the growth of education.
There were also volunteer teachers who claimed that they had been working for long without being absorbed into the teaching profession.
Similarly, the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Abia State wing has appealed to the state government to offset salary arrears it owed secondary and primary school teachers in the area.
The State Chairman of the NUT, Comrade Chizobem Akparanta made the plea on the occasion of this year’s World Teacher’s Day in Umuahia.
He noted that although the state government on the sixth of February this year entered into an agreement with the union over prompt payment of teachers’ salaries, government was yet to fulfill its agreement.
Comrade Akparanta said that Secondary school teachers in the state government’s employ were being owed seven months salaries while their counterparts in Primary schools were owed four months.
In a message, the National President of NUT, Comrade Michael Olukoya commended the Federal Government for its efforts towards addressing the long identified problem of teachers shortage in the nation’s primary and secondary school system.
He urged the government to look into their demand of increasing the retirement age of teachers from sixty to sixty five years to increase the teachers retention rate in schools.
Also, teachers in Ebonyi State have been charged to engage in school agricultural programme to enable the country overcome challenges arising from its dependence on oil.
Governor David Umahi gave the charge in a statement to mark Teachers’ Day in the state.
He commended Teachers for their resilience and spirit of patriotism, but stressed the need for them to support efforts by the government to develop agriculture as the nation’s economy mainstay.
Chief Umahi regretted that despite dwindling allocation from the federation account, teachers in the state were yet to realize the need to engage in other meaningful economic ventures to argument their pay.
The World Teachers Day is celebrated the world over on the 6th of October in recognition and appreciation of the inevitable roles that teachers play in the upbringing and education of children to lay a better foundation for the development of any nation.
NONSO KALU,LAWRENCE NWOKEDI& AMECHI ODO