World Teachers Day: Kwara NUT hails AbdulRazaq for timely salaries

To celebrate the World Teachers Day, teachers in Kwara State have commended the governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the timely payment of their salaries

Teachers in Kwara State have commended the state government for prompt payment of their salaries, cash-backing of the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) teachers’ promotions of 2021 and 2022, and the recent 2023 and 2024 promotion approvals.

Speaking at this year’s World Teachers Day celebration in Ilorin, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Yusuf Agboola, said that teachers in the state still face challenges of “incorrect implementation of the 27.5 per cent Specific Allowance (TSA) for TRN certificated teachers and 21 per cent for non-TRN certificated teachers.”

He said: “This problem is peculiar to only Kwara State in the entire federation,” listing other challenges to include non-implementation of November 2023 palliatives for teachers under TESCOM, non-implementation of annual increment steps for SUBEB teachers, non-recruitment of more teachers for senior secondary schools despite massive retirements between 2022 and 2024, and non-payment of rural allowances for teachers in rural areas.

According to him, the state government is also yet to key into the 65/40 years harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria.

Also speaking, the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Muritala Olayinka, assured that joint efforts are ongoing with other stakeholders to ensure the implementation of the new minimum wage in the state.

He said: “The committee set up by the state government is working round the clock to ensure that the new minimum wage is implemented.

“I, therefore, urge teachers in the state to exercise a little patience. At the end of the day, we will come out with something tangible that will make everybody smile.”

Corroborating the NLC chief, Chairman of the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Shehu Adaramaja, said that teachers would be taken care of in the new minimum wage.

Represented by Alhaji Abdullatef Solagberu, Adaramaja disclosed: “A committee has been inaugurated by the state government. The NUT has been adequately represented.

“Even though the Federal Government is yet to come out with clear-cut modalities for the payment, what I want us to know is that as soon as approval is given, teachers will be adequately taken care of,” he assured.