The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Kwara, Saturday, commended the state government for promptly paying its members’ salaries.
During the 2024 World Teachers’ Day celebration, Kwara NUT Chairman, Mr Yusuf Agboola, lauded the government on cash-backing for 2021 and 2022 promotions and the 2023 and 2024 promotion approval.
However, he said that teachers in the state still faced challenges of incorrect implementation of other allowances, such as the 27.5 per cent Teachers Specific Allowance (TSA).
“This problem is peculiar to only Kwara in the entire federation, and we have the problem of non-implementation of November 2023 palliatives for teachers under the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM).
”Also, there is the non-implementation of annual increment steps for State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) teachers, non- recruitment of more teachers for senior secondary schools in spite of massive retirements between 2022 and 2024,” Agboola said.
The NUT Kwara Chairman added that the state government was also yet to key into the 65/40 years harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria.
In his remarks, Chairman of Kwara’s chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Muritala Olayinka, said efforts were ongoing with other stakeholders to ensure the new minimum wage’s implementation.
”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,” he said.
Corroborating Olayinka’s comments, Chairman of Kwara SUBEB, Prof. Shehu Adaramaja, asdured that teachers would be taken care of in the new minimum wage.
Represented by Alhaji Abdullatef Solagberu, Adaramaja said a committee has been inaugurated by the state government and the NUT has been adequately represented.
Peoplesmind