The Federal Government has said that students undergoing degree programmes in education in public universities across Nigeria will now receive N75,000 stipend per semester.
It further explained that those undergoing the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) will get N50,000 per semester.
Education Minister Adamu Adamu made the announcement yesterday during the World Teachers’ Day celebration at the Eagle Square in Abuja, but the government did not, however, say when the payment of the stipends will begin.
The minister, whose speech was read by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, said: “Undergraduate students of B.Ed/B.A. Ed/BSc.Ed in public institutions are to receive stipends of N75,000.00 per semester while NCE students will get N50,000.00 as stipends per semester.
“The Federal Government should find the modality through which respective states’ governments could provide automatic employment for NCE graduates at Basic Education level.”
The minister said a draft Bill for harmonised retirement age for Teachers/Education Officers in Nigeria 2020 had been approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and was awaiting presentation to the National Assembly.
Also, President Buhari has said the Federal Ministry of Education had begun the pilot implementation of the increase in the retirement age to 65 or 40 years of service for teachers and education officers.
The President, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, said: “Guidelines to ensure seamless implementation has been negotiated and outstanding salaries of affected teachers will soon be paid before December 2021.”
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) yesterday berated some states for refusing to implement the National Minimum Wage Act for teachers since it was signed into law in 2018.
The NUT National President, Dr. Nasir Idris, spoke in Abuja during the World Teachers’ Day celebration and presidential teachers and school excellence award.
In Lagos State, Education Commissioner, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, yesterday announced plans to increase the running cost for the state’s 1,016 public primary schools.
The call for increment from N20,000 monthly was among the demands the Chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Hassan Akintoye, urged the government to address in his speech during the celebration in Alausa, Ikeja.
Last year, the government increased the running cost of public secondary schools to N250,000 monthly and paid the backlog for the period schools were closed because of the pandemic to aid resumption preparation in line with COVID-19 protocols.
However primary schools did not enjoy the same largesse.
Mrs. Adefisayo’s announcement that the monthly running cost would be implemented soon was greeted with a round of applause from the teachers.
“Very soon, the running cost for primary schools will be increased. We are working on it,” she said.
In Osun State, the teachers passed a vote of confidence in Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for prioritising their welfare and abolishing single uniform in schools.
They regretted that the government’s revitalization of education policies was being politicised in some quarters.
During the celebration at Osogbo City Stadium, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Kabir Adekomi, praised Oyetola for inspiring a sense of belonging, hope and dignity among teachers and other categories of workers across the state.
In Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun rewarded the best teachers with cash prizes ranging from N1 million to N2 million.
He also gifted a semi-detached bungalow to the best overall teacher for Year 2021 and approved the immediate release of engagement letters to successful candidates of the Ogun Teach Programme to relieve the workload of teachers in the state.
The governor announced the allocation of land to the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) and Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON) for the construction of their secretariats.
