The Niger State Chapter of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has demanded the immediate payment of pension of retired teachers in the state.
NUT Chairman in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar, made the request at the opening of the Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the union in Kotangora, on Tuesday.
He said that most of the teachers who retired two to three years were yet to be paid their pensions and gratuity by the state government.
According to him, the situation has forced some of them to turn to street beggars to survive while others have died.
Umar said the state government has no reason to keep the teachers in such pitiable condition and urged it to immediately settle the entitlement of retired teachers.
The NUT chairman also called on the Ministry for Education and that of Local Government to hasten the implementation of the promotion of teachers in primary and post primary schools.
He said that such gesture would boost teachers’ morale and ensure effective and efficient service delivery.
The NUT chairman urged the government to employ more qualified teachers to fill in existing vacancies created by those who had left the service.
Umar also advised the government to procure adequate instructional materials for schools to achieve the desire of transforming the education sector.
He disclosed that the union had spent N188 million to acquire landed property to shore up its income and strengthen the economic status of its members.
The chairman commended the state government for its plan to establish Teachers Development Institute, saying such move would restore the lost glory of the teaching profession.
The delegates conference, has as its theme, `Improving Teachers Quality, Enhancing our Educational Standards.’
Registrar, College of Education, Minna, Alhaji Yabagi Alfa, who delivered a keynote address on `Improving Quality, Enhancing Our Educational Standard’, described education as a vehicle for national development.
He said that education was the biggest industry that touches the fabric of human endeavors and an investment for the nation to develop its economy, political and human resources.
According to him, in spite of its importance, education will only deliver the desired results if there are quality teachers.
He pointed out that no education system rises above the quality of its teachers, noting that the quality of teachers determines the quality of educational system of any nation.
The Registrar added that teacher education was key to quality educational system and nation building.
“The educational system rotates around the teacher, teachers are the hub of any educational system.
“When education is given to the people, there is hope for proper skilled and knowledgeable workforce”, he added.
He identified factors responsible for poor quality education to include; ill-equipped and untrained teachers, very poor learning environment, congestion in classroom, non availability of instructional materials.
Others were poor supervision and management of the system and poor resumeration of teachers.
Alfa said to improve teachers quality and enhance the educational system, government must equip teachers with adequate and appropriate professional skills to become excellent practitioners.
He said government should also improve teacher standard by investing in teacher training and provision of instructional materials.
The Registrar described as ridiculous, situations where untrained and unqualified teachers were given preference in schools as against qualified teachers who were left to roam the streets looking for job.
He called for sponsorship of teachers in long term in-service training so as to improve their professional competence.
Alfa urged government to make teaching a life time career, by providing opportunities for continuous growth in the service.
According to him, poor standard of education in the country is largely due to irregular and poor salary and allowances, poor physical environment, lack of prospect and stagnation.
He advised the NUT to promote competence anf guarantee professional conduct of their members, so as to raise the standard of the teacher and the education sector. (NAN)