New Salary/Welfare For Teachers: Nigerian Teachers Finally Out Of The Woods?

Teaching has been arguably described as the oldest profession on Mother Earth owing to the fact that it has been in existence and practiced for long as the history of man dates. It is also said to be the Mother of all professions since for any profession to be practiced, it first needs to be taught and learned.

With the high importance universally attached to the teaching profession, comes the general agreement that practitioners should enjoy higher regard in the society. By this, the teachers should enjoy good working salaries, including availability of vehicles loans and mortgages, to ensure stability of the teachers in their chosen profession.

It is rather unfortunate, however, that the situation of teachers is far from being ideal, as the teaching profession is seen as the last option in Nigeria. Nigerians don’t want to go into teaching by choice, and even when they find themselves in it, they are never stable. They continue to search for better jobs that can guarantee all such things like better salaries, prompt salary payments, availability of loans and mortgages, good pension scheme and so on, that are generally and conspicuously absent in teaching. For many years now or precisely since the situation and condition of teachers deteriorated in Nigeria, potential students seeking for admission into higher institutions don’t want to apply for any course related to teaching. They often reluctantly accept such offers of admission against their own wishes but not out of desire or ambition to become teachers because of how the nation and its leadership neglect the condition of teachers and complete absence of the needed incentives that will motivate them to go for the teaching profession and most importantly to offer their best to their students.

It is no longer news in Nigeria that poor teachers’ salaries, lack of prompt and timely monthly payments as well as absence of motivation and other basic necessities, poor condition of learning, lack of instructional materials and decent offices have contributed greatly in discouraging most young graduates to go into the teaching profession with pride and determination to give their best. These have also contributed to how the teachers are regarded in the Nigerian society. Teaching in Nigeria is regarded as the last, desperate option. The situation is so bad that a teacher dares not go looking for a woman to get married to because he risks being humiliated. He is seen as not having the financial muscle to marry, keep a wife and the children she may bear soon. The notion is reasonably correct because in Nigeria it takes a woman with a lot of patience to be able to stay peacefully with a typical Nigerian teacher. Parents too because of the same neglect are not willing to give their daughters out to a typical Nigerian teacher because the father may end up feeding his daughter or shouldering some of her responsibilities in her husband’s house.

Fortunately, hopefully and if the Nigerian factor did not come into play again, all these are going to change, thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari, who in his speech at the International Teachers Day celebration on October 5, promised new salary scale package and improved working conditions for the Nigerian teachers.

Under the new development, teachers will now retire from active service at the age of 65; and /or 40 years of service whichever comes first. By implication, teachers’ years of service have been increased from 35 years, which is general for civil servants, by 5 more years.

In terms of allowances, the Federal Government has approved payments of rural allowances to teachers posted to rural communities, while science allowances have been increased. Also, teachers are to enjoy automatic admission and free tuition for their biological children at their places of work/schools.

Similarly, in a successful bid to improve and encourage students to study Education in colleges and universities across the country, the Federal Government will pay stipends or Education Special Allowances to all Bachelor Of Education (B. Ed) students, as they will begin to enjoy special bursary awards from TETFUND. And upon graduation such students will now enjoy enhanced entry into service. They will be entitled to automatic employment.

The Federal Government, according to the President, will also establish Special Teachers Pension Scheme with a view to ensuring that teachers don’t fall victims of neglect and wanton penury even after retirement.

DESERT HERALD believes that this development is highly commendable and timely, especially coming at such a time when the confidence and personal esteem of any teacher in Nigeria is presently at its lowest ebb. The development will therefore serve not only as a morale booster for teachers, but it will also encourage Nigerian youths to begin to see bright future in the teaching profession. Also, the decision will ensure that very good and intelligent people will now willingly be going for the teaching profession to put in their best and Nigerian children will be the better for it.

While we join in celebrating the Nigerian teachers, DESERT HERALD also salutes the onerous courage and foresight of the Federal Government for its decision. May we, however, caution that it is not enough to make policy pronouncements; the Federal Government must stand on its feet and make sure that all provisions of the policy are duly and immediately implemented. Adequate and sufficient penalties must be provided for saboteurs at whatever level.