The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Niger State Wing has expressed worry over the delay in providing instructional materials to schools since resumption after four weeks.
The NUT Chairman, Comrade Adamu Mohammed Akayago, who expressed displeasure while delivering his keynote address at the 2024 World Teachers Day celebration held in Minna over the weekend, said it is disheartening that since the resumption of schools for the 2024/2025 academic session in the last four weeks, the basic teaching and instructional materials such as chalk, registers, and diaries are yet to be provided to schools.
At the 2024 World Teachers Day with the theme “Valuing Teachers’ Voices Towards a New Social Contract for Education,” the NUT Chairman stated that the union also observed that the admission of students into JSS.1 and SS.1 has yet to be released after four weeks of resumption and called on the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to do the needful.
Akayago said: “We are also calling on the state government to provide adequate running costs for the Education Secretaries and School Heads for the effective and efficient running of schools.”
He disclosed that teachers on grade level 15 and above have yet to enjoy the implementation of the domestic servant allowance, which has been enjoyed by their colleagues in the secondary school section since 2018, noting that the union also observed that the promotion of teachers in the state is stagnated at grade level 16 and urged the SUBEB to conduct a retreat for teachers who are qualified to be promoted to grade level 17 to enable them to be on par with their colleagues at the secondary school level.
Earlier in his message at the occasion, Niger State Governor, Muhammad Umaru Bago, who was represented by the Majority Leader of the State Assembly, Musa Idris Vatsa, reassured teachers that the state government is introducing several measures that will squarely address their challenges.
He said the state government is closely working with all relevant stakeholders, including the legislature, to improve the education sector, which is why half of next year’s budget will be for the development of the education sector.
Bago said: “To forge ahead, there is a need to work as a team to achieve a common purpose of developing the education sector in line with the New Niger Agenda, while also restating his resolve to work with the Nigeria Union of Teachers for the overall development and progress of the teaching profession.”
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Hadiza Asabe Muhammad, while acknowledging the significant role of teachers in society, said their profession goes beyond imparting knowledge but also entails shaping character, instilling values, and inspiring generations.
Speaking to The Guardian shortly, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters and the immediate past Administrative Secretary NUT, Comrade Labaran Garba, noted that for over decades, teachers have been neglected to the background, and relevant authorities have made frantic efforts to improve the plight of teachers, adding that the union is hopeful that the situation will not remain as it was.
Labaran assured that Governor Bago is committed to addressing some of the challenges confronting the teaching profession in the state.
There were presentations of merit awards and gifts to dignitaries, principals, head teachers, and teachers who have, in one way or another exhibited a high sense of commitment to the growth of the education sector in Niger State.
