- The government increased the length of service for teachers from 60 to 65 years to encourage them to return to the classroom
- Prof. Tahir Mamman emphasized the importance of experienced teachers mentoring younger ones and maintaining training quality
Prof Tahir Mamman, Minister of Education, stated that the government increased the length of service for teachers from 60 to 65 years to encourage principal officers to return to the classroom after completing their administrative responsibilities.
Prof Mamman warned those reluctant to return to the classroom during a briefing to highlight the activities planned for World Teachers Day 2023.
“All those in that category and where the situation warrants should happily return to the classroom. If they don’t, the ministry will wield the big stick because it is not right.”
“This is where you started and earned your livelihood; I thought it is fun to go back to the classroom at that age and life and anticipate mentoring the younger ones, so it is not a forum for someone to refuse to go to the classroom,” he stated.
He stated that doing so is critical to maintaining training quality and serving as a role model for colleagues and students.
According to the minister, the theme of the year, “The Teachers We Need for the Education We Want: The Global Imperative to Reverse Teacher Shortage,” highlights one of the major challenges confronting the education system.
“Every society requires quality education for long-term development, and every educational system requires the right number and quality of teachers to meet objectives.” It is, therefore, critical that all levels of government address the acute shortage of teachers in many schools, particularly in the basic education subsector, he said.
The minister also asked for prayers for the students who were being held captive in Zamfara.
“It underscores the point that security needs to do more to secure our schools, especially in vulnerable areas; they should review strategies for securing the schools and redouble their efforts to release the students.”
In response to questions from journalists, Audu Amba, National President of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, stated that many incentives were rolled out about three years ago. Still, only the elongation of service has begun at the federal level and, to a lesser extent, at the state level.
A good number of state governments are yet to key into the new retirement for teachers and we have written to such state government to use the world teachers’ day to make pronouncement and other incentives,” he stated.
Up till now, none of the other incentives have gotten across to teeming teachers of Nigeria but with the commitment you mentioned that the current administration leaders will be central to teachers welfare and others we want to believe that you will use your good office to make sure that those incentives that are attached to the pronouncement for Nigeria teachers.