President of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Dr. Nasir Idris speaks on reasons teachers should enjoy the new teacher’s salary structure and other related issues. Excerpts.
New salary structure
First of all, we have to appreciate God, and we have to appreciate the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari. We have been into this agitation for a very long time, the agitation is almost 27 years old; and no government has listened to us. It was the present administration under the leadership of the president that found it very worthy to listen to the grassroots teachers, that’s the primary and secondary schools. It is now we know that the president has love in education, most especially the grassroots teachers. We have put on some demands which the president promised to look into, and fortunately, during the World Teachers Day, the president approved a new salary structure for primary and secondary school teachers; housing for primary and secondary school and even the extension of time of service.
We felt cheated when the last administration extended the years of lecturers of Polytechnic, University, Colleges of Education and all other tertiary institutions. So, we said if that will be the case, it must be extended to the primary and secondary school teachers because we are the grassroots teachers. We felt cheated but the president came and healed the wounds. So we commend the president because he did what no government had done, he is a lover of education, a lover of teachers.
Prompt implementation
The committee for the new salary scale is now in place. The Ministry of Education is involved, the Head of Service is involved and the National Salaries and Wages Commission is also involved. Once the circular comes out, we will send the circular to various state governments and I know that the federal government will also send letters to the state governments so that they will comply.
We hope that when the committee finished its work, hopefully by next year, the teachers will start enjoying their new salary structure; because when you look at it, November is already ended and it hasn’t been long that the committee was inaugurated. So, God willing, they’ll start enjoying that soon. But the housing scheme is not something that will happen immediately, all these housing programmes and schemes, they hardly look at teachers, but this time around, the houses would be built in different local governments and villages, and so, they (teachers) will enjoy the benefits.
We don’t expect the issues to reach the end of first quarter of next year, because we know the kind of people we have in the committee, and NUT is part of the committee. So, we hope they’ll finish the job before the Christmas break so that at the beginning of next year, we’ll start pestering government to implementing the president’s approval.
State governments’ opposition
By the time the committee finished its work, we will confront the state government to approve it. This is not the first time we are confronting them. Everyone knows that school teachers are working and they are always at their duty post. When you check at the local government or state secretariats, you will see that they are not always present at work early, but go to the primary and secondary schools, by 7:00 am, they are already assembled. So, they work very well.
Plight of teachers
The state governments don’t employ teachers and that is why you see our classes empty, and teachers are retiring. The job is no longer lucrative. If you ask your pupils what they want to become, out of class of 30, maybe only 3 will say they want to become teachers. That is because teaching job is not lucrative.
We are still battling with some states to implement the minimum wage and pay arrears. When I came to office newly, there were states where teachers were being paid on percentage, and I said I could not take it. A worker is a worker, whatever other state and local government staff enjoy, a teacher should also enjoy it.
Welfare of teachers
Presently, the state of welfare of teachers is not 100% per cent. In Abia State, they don’t pay teachers salary until we confronted them. And just recently, they were able to pay them 3 months out of 11 months. They are still owing teachers about seven months’ salary. We have dispatched a committee to go and get the feedback and we said there’s no way we will continue to allow our teachers to suffer in the hands of Abia State government. So we’ll call on the organs of our union to meet and take decision on shutting down Abia, because there’s no way our teachers will continue to work and no pay. We have entered into an agreement with them for about four or five times, but when time comes for implementation, they’ll renege.
LG autonomy solution
It was already in the constitution amendment passed by the Eight Assembly that primary and secondary school salary should be taken based on first-line charge from the federation account. We have been enjoying this thing even during the military, and I don’t see reason even in the democratic government that we can’t enjoy it. But now, the local governments are paying. During the campaign and rally by the late Ibrahim Khaleel, initially, we were having problem because we didn’t understand ourselves very well. Then, NLC called a meeting and NLC mediated. We gave our own side of the story, they also stated their own, and we realised that we are not against autonomy and they also said they are not against giving us our salaries as a first-line charge and we harmonised. Then, we continued to work together up to the passage of that bill. It was when the thing reached state assembly that they killed it. But now that the president had signed Executive Order, I know by the grace of God we are going to enjoy it.
Standards of education
Well, the issue of standard of education in Nigeria, you know people are saying that the standard of education is falling. Before, people don’t talk of the standard of education falling, but now. This is because the teachers that are supposed to be taken care of, they are not. In those days, teachers salary was paid as and when due, and their allowances. There were training, seminars and other programmes to continuously develop their capacity. But now, those things you can’t find them. It is very rare in states to find seminars and workshops being conducted for teachers. That is why we said the government should try to establish a body, a body that will take care of these teachers. That is why I say our teachers are suffering, and at the same time they are doing their best to ensure that they impart knowledge in those children. The issue now is that you can see a school, but you don’t see teachers’ quarters anymore, teachers have to travel from villages to the school they teach every day. No mobility, even the car loans and mobility loan is no more there, and yet people complain that teachers are not doing well. How can you accuse someone you don’t motivate, and how can a teacher do well if he’s not given his entitlements? So, honestly, I don’t look at it that way. Take care of teachers and you will see the result. But if you don’t take care of teachers, how will you see the result? Teachers are doing their best, even in places where salaries are not paid. So, I don’t follow that school of thought that standards are falling because teachers are not doing their best. Teachers are doing their best.
