Ogun NUT Backs 65 Years Retirement Age For Teachers,Hails Special Salary Structure

Nigeria Union of Teachers NUT has thrown its full weight behind the 65years retirement age for teachers in the country and the extension of service to 40 years period , approved by the Federal Government

Secretary of Ogun State wing of NUT, Comrade Samson Oyelere in an exclusive interview with Edu-Biznews on Sunday in Abeokuta, expressed the support, describing the pronouncement by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu during the last Tuesday's celebration of the 2021 World Teachers' Day in Abuja , as a product of the struggle by the union 

"You will recall that majority of Nigerian teachers after retiring  as Principals, Head teacher, Vice- Principals or  Assistant Head teacher in our public schools, will go and pick private schools' jobs at the end of their retirement after 35 years of service or at the age of 60 , work for such private schools for some years where they will be paid less than N40,000 per month, before calling it quit, instead of decipating such energy on those that have invested more on us, that is the government, it is a welcome development, we are proud of the struggle", he stated

The union however disagreed with  the arguments by some of the governors that it would be difficult for them to implement the Special Salary Structure for teachers as approved by the Federal Government, because of paucity of fund

Oyelere insisted that there should not be any excuse for the State Governments not Implement the Special Salary Structure saying, the decision was taken jointly with the Federal Government before the pronouncement 

He added that the government should not be talking of paucity of fund when it comes to the issue of workers' welfare, since such paucity of fund did not affect what the union described as bogus salary and allowances of political appointees as well as extacode  

"Though we know quite well that education is on concurrent list in which both the Federal Government and State Government have their responsibilities and roles to play, but we are aware that all organs were carried along before the pronouncement", Oyelere stressed

  

"You will also recall when the issue of teachers' peculiar allowance was pronounced in 2007, until we negotiated at the Governor Forum, it was eventually pronounced and it became law across the federation and teachers started enjoying the allowance" ,he recalled

The State Scribe of NUT explained that emissaries from the Salary Income and Wages Commission were sent to various states before arriving at the reasonable and acceptable salary structure for teachers in the country

His words",when we talk about the emissaries, we are talking about staff from the Salary Income and Wages Commission, they were sent across the federation to compare and contrast what teachers are getting in public schools and come up with a reasonable and acceptable salary structure for teachers"

The union assured that the new salary package would be paid by respective states when the time comes for it implementation as agreed by the presidency as from January, 2022