Teachers to enjoy new salary structure from Jan 2022 —FG

THE Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, has said teachers will begin to enjoy the new salary structure promised by President Muhammadu Buhari from January 2022. Nwajiuba made the disclosure on Thursday, in Abuja at a symposium organised by the Ministry of Education. 

The symposium is part of activities to mark the forthcoming 2021 World Teachers Day with the theme “Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery”. 

The minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Sonny Echono, noted that work was being concluded on the enhanced salary structure. 

He further disclosed work was also being concluded on other incentives promised by the president during the 2020 World Teachers’ Day. 

He stressed that the other incentives ranged from allowances, housing, training, to elongation of service year from 35 to 40 years. 

He further said, “The president has taken the lead by approving a far reaching and revitalising programme for the teaching profession in this country and there are many soft incentives in that. 

“All that is required is for other actors down the line like state governors, the National Assembly and others to key into this initiative and ensure that the implementation is seamless. 

“For instance, we are tired of hearing how long teachers are being owed salaries in states. 

“It is criminal. So, with the new initiative, we have incentives to attract the best brains and retain them in the teaching profession. He commended Nigerian teachers for the sacrifice in spite of the many challenges faced in the course of their duties and urged them to retune themselves to fit into the new normal occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic by being more technology savvy. 

Professor Josiah Ajiboye, the guest speaker at the event, said the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly changed world education system, with African countries most hit. 

Ajiboye, who is the Registrar and Chief Executive of Teachers Registration Council (TRCN), said every country of the world was affected by the pandemic. 

He, however, said while some continents were able to quickly adjust to the new normal, African countries including Nigeria found it difficult to adjust to a technology-based learning. 

He said, “Our problem in Africa was compounded as only one-third had access to internet facilities. 

“In Nigeria, about 62 per cent of the population have access to internet facility. 

“Unfortunately about 97 per cent of the numbers are in the urban areas, creating huge digital divide between the urban and rural areas. 

“We know that government tried helping to bridge the gap by engaging the media especially the radio for those in the rural areas, but not much was achieved with that.” 

He said the new normal of use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) for teaching and learning had come to stay and the Nigerian teachers cannot afford to be left behind. 

He encouraged teachers to take up ICT trainings in order to be relevant in the 21st century, adding that the role of the teacher was gravitating more towards that of a facilitator.