ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Nigeria Union of Teachers has urged state governments nationwide to promptly implement the new minimum wage for teachers, warning that it may mobilise its members if delays persist.
The National President of the union, Titus Amba, made this appeal on Monday during the 8th Quadrennial 19th State Conference of Delegates held in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Represented by the union’s Social National Secretary, Titilope Adebanjo, Amba noted that some states have yet to approve and implement the new wage for teachers despite prior agreements.
“We still have some of our states that have yet to approve the recent minimum wage for our members. We will continue to appeal to them, but we will not just sit back.
We will mobilise our members to ensure that governments do the needful,” he said.
The union also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to improve the economic conditions affecting teachers, pointing out that inflation has significantly reduced their earnings.
“The present government is trying for teachers, but we appeal for better economic conditions as the current situation is affecting our meagre salaries,” he added.
Amba praised the Kwara State Government for steps taken to improve teachers’ welfare, especially the approval of the 27.5 per cent teachers’ peculiar allowance.
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A major issue raised at the conference was the proposal to extend the retirement age for teachers in Kwara State from 60 to 65 years.
Amba said the union had already presented this request to the state government, describing it as a top priority for members.
“It is the only thing the Nigerian Union of Teachers is requesting from the Kwara State Government at the moment,” he noted.
Earlier, the state chairman of the union, Yusuf Agboola, also emphasised the need for the extension, saying it would help retain experienced teachers and strengthen the education sector.
“Extending the retirement age will enhance productivity and ensure that the wealth of experience within the system is not lost prematurely,” he said.
In his keynote address, the Vice-Chancellor of Abdulrasaq Abubakar Toyin University, Ganmo, Prof Abdulrauf Ambali, linked challenges in the education sector to broader national security concerns.
He stressed that tackling the issue of out-of-school children would play a key role in reducing insecurity across the country.
“The issue of insecurity is general, but we must also tackle the root causes. When we address out-of-school children, we will be closer to solving insecurity,” he said.
Ambali expressed optimism about the Federal Government’s efforts, noting that steps are being taken to improve safety in schools and communities.
Calls for improved welfare for teachers have remained consistent within Nigeria’s education sector, with unions continually advocating better pay, improved working conditions, and policy reforms.
Stakeholders maintain that addressing these concerns is essential to improving education quality and reducing the growing number of out-of-school children nationwide.