Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Ahead of 2020 world teachers day, Federal Government, announced that no fewer that 774 teachers, each from the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria from which the best teachers were chosen would be rewarded at an event in Abuja, to mark the 2020 World Teachers Day, with the theme “Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future”.
It disclosed that only 24 states submitted nominations for different categories of the 2020 award for teachers under the umbrella of the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award (PT&SEA).
It explained that the annual President’s teachers awards are bestowed on teachers who have outstanding records in their professional conduct, recognize and recommended by the state ministry of education.
Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who disclosed the information to journalists in Abuja, on Tuesday, confirmed that instruments for nomination of potential awardees was sent to states ministries of education and FCT for proper action and response, but only 24 responded.
Adamu who was represented by the Minister of State for education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, disclosed that the award categories are; best public school, best approved private school, best public school teacher, best approved private school teacher and best public school administrator, and each category has three levels that accumulates to a total 24 awards.
He appreciated the teachers for their immeasurable contributions to national development, and assured them the President’s award was designed to celebrate the outstanding ones and encourage others to put in more effort in their professional conduct.
Meanwhile, National President, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Dr. Nasir Idris, in his speech, highlighted their demands to the Minister, requesting that he escalate them to necessary authorities for adequate attention.
Idris who was represented by NUT National Publicity Secretary, Amba Audu, appealed to the Federal Ministry of Education to redouble its efforts to enhance the welfare of teachers and achieve the desired result of upward review of the retirement age of teachers and education officers.
He added: “We demand the establishment of a Teachers’ Salary Structure (TSS) and other incentives for teachers to address the peculiarities of the teaching career and to uphold the true identity and status of the profession.
“We also demand the establishment of the National Secondary Education Commission for proper coordination and effective management of secondary education in Nigeria, as well as urgent implementation of minimum wage for all teachers including primary and secondary school teachers in FCT, and approval implementation of 27.5 percent professional allowance for teachers of Federal Government Colleges.”
