World Teachers’ Day: Ebonyi NUT calls for improved working condition

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on Monday called for the improvement of teaching and learning environment for Nigerian teachers to enhance optimal productivity.

The Chairman of Ebonyi wing of NUT, Mr Joseph Nweke, made the call in an address to mark the 2015 World Teachers’ Day at the Abakaliki Township Stadium.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UN set aside Oct. 5 annually as world teachers’ day.

Nweke deplored the working environment of the Nigerian teacher and called for urgent intervention to save the nation’s educational system.

“Nigerian teachers work in a very unconducive environment and this has militated against the overall performance of the teacher.

“The occasion of the World Teachers’ Day provides opportunity for all stakeholders in the sector to brainstorm and find a sustainable solution to the problem.

“Also, the issue of enhanced welfare, regular payment of salary and fringe benefits are part of the problems that hinder optimal performance of the teacher,’’ Nweke said.

The Ebonyi NUT boss further called for the removal of education from the concurrent legislative list to the exclusive list for proper funding.

He said teachers across the nation were owed months of salary arrears by various state governments and described the situation as unacceptable to the union.

“The teacher occupies a critical position in nation building and the role of the teacher in the shaping and moulding of society cannot be overemphasised.

“The only way to recognise the immense contributions of teachers in nation-building is for the government to make their welfare a top priority.

“The regular payment of salaries of teachers and other entitlements should be given adequate attention,’’ the unionist said.

He said that the global attention given to the celebration was a testimony that teachers occupied a critical position in nation building.

He noted that the theme of the 2015 celebration was “Empowering Teachers, Building Sustainable Societies’’ which, he said, was very apt because of the role of teachers in character moulding.

He enumerated other challenges faced by Ebonyi teachers to include salary discrepancy and irregularity, non-implementation of the 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Enhancement Allowance and non-payment of September 2011 salaries owed to secondary schools.

“Also the delay in the payment of retirement benefits to retired teachers and non-payment of annual leave allowances for 2013, 2014 and 2015 and absence of instructional material and infrastructure in schools among others,’’ he said.

Gov. Dave Umahi in his address to the teachers said his administration would partner with the union to develop the education industry.

He described teachers as light givers whose contributions to nation building could not be quantified.

He said that his government would tackle the issues raised by the union and called for support and unalloyed loyalty to his government.

“We will do all within our limited resources to ensure that in our time, teachers are made happy.

“The welfare of our teachers will be given greater priority and training and retraining will be ensured,’’ Umahi said.

NAN reports that the event featured match past by teachers drawn from 13 local government areas of the state.