Reps want FG to initiate policy to attract teachers to rural area

THE House of Representatives on Thursday asked Federal Government to initiate a policy that would attract teachers to teach in the rural schools and remote locations in Nigeria.

To this end, the House urged House committee on Basic Education and the Ministry of Education to take on policy that would create rural locality allowances and initiate annual retention benefits of 25 percent of annual salary for five years to attract teachers to the rural community.

The House also urged the Universal Basic Education to liaise with the state government in providing incentives to rural teachers.

The House resolution followed a motion sponsored by Honourable Omosede Igbinedion entitled, “urgent need to attract teachers to teach in rural schools and remote locations in Nigeria in commemoration of World Teachers Day.”

According to the lawmaker, “rural-urban drift of teachers have greatly affected educational development in the rural communities, thereby, affecting the performance of teaching and learning process of a school.”

Honourable Igbinedion added that “in Nigeria, incentives have not been included in the teaching staff welfare of rural teachers, rather it has been community or Parents-Teachers Association concerned to improve teaching welfare to attract teachers to rural communities.”