The Nigeria Union of Teachers has warned state governments against privatizing and commercializing education, especially at the primary and secondary school levels, under the guise of seeking higher standards, through the hand-over of schools to voluntary agencies
“State governments should avoid promoting privatization and commercialization of education especially at the primary and secondary school levels under the guise of seeking higher standard of education through the hand-over of schools to voluntary agencies.”
The NUT national President, Michael Olukoya, gave the warning at the celebration of the 2016 World Teachers day, today, Wednesday in Abuja. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Valuing Teachers, Improving their Status.”
Michael Olukoya also warned against the retrenchment of teachers and reduction of their emoluments due to economic recession, saying that the plan to retrench teachers is misplaced.
He said that such act would jeopardize the progress of public education and the future of the Nigerian child.
He also advised state governments to be alive to their responsibility of managing basic education.
“We demand that state governments should appreciate and take up their constitutional responsibility of providing and maintaining primary education and the provision of funds for payment of teachers salaries in line with the 2002 Supreme Court judgment.”
He also called on the Federal Government to increase the retirement age of basic education teachers from 60 years to 65 years, adding that lecturers at higher institutions were already benefitting.
The National President noted that for the government to effectively fight corruption, salaries and pension owed teachers should be paid urgently.
“The NUT demands that all tiers of government should, as a matter of urgency, pay up all salaries owed teachers of primary and secondary schools in the federation.
“The union calls on governments to see to the plight of retired teachers and pay their retirement benefits in order that the labour of these veterans will not be in vain.
“If we want to clear our society, government should not make retirees regret their honesty while in office.”
In his address, the President, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Ayuba Wabba, condemned the non-payment of teachers’ salary and retirement benefits by state governments.
Mr. Wabba added that any policy not focusing on teachers will not succeed as they have play significant roles in educating Nigerians.
“Knowledge is what drives development today; why should education be so expensive and commercialized, when most of our leaders today benefitted from public schools, free education, bursaries and various scholarships.
“The best way out of poverty is to educate the children of the poor and if this is not addressed, the country will not move forward.
“We offer our full support to NUT in pursuing their demands and we will jointly succeed in our endeavour.”
(NAN). [myad]

No fewer than 110 students from Nigeria’s six geo-political zones on full-board six-year secondary school scholarships in the second set of the NNPC/SNEPCo Cradle-to-Career programme have begun their studies in six schools.
The schools are Premiere Academy, Abuja; Nigerian Turkish International College, Kaduna; St. Francis Catholic Secondary School, Lagos; Lead Forte Gate College, Lagos; Top Faith International Secondary School, Akwa Ibom Staten and Grundtvig International Secondary School, Anambra State.
In a statement, the NNPC/SNEPCo said that the full-board six-year secondary school scholarships are designed to give top quality education to bright but indigent youths.
In an address at the award ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu commended the cradle-to-career programme as a unique CSR initiative and asked other corporate bodies to emulate the gesture. He said the Federal Government would continue to implement holistic educational policies and enjoined the support of all stakeholders.
The Minister was represented by Mrs. Abimbola Olamilokun (Deputy Director, Basic and Secondary Education).
The Director of Quality Assurance in the National Examinations Council (NECO), Dr. Ikechukwu Anyanwu said: “we played an active role in the selection process and we can attest that it was fair and transparent. The students who have come through represent the best of what we had from public secondary schools and we see them transforming to become leaders if they keep up with same spirit of hard work and commitment.”
The Group General Manager, NAPIMS, Dafe Sejebor, who was represented by Supervisor, Community Development, Mrs. Bunmi Lawson restated the commitment of NNPC towards quality education and said they would continue to work with SNEPCo on initiatives that will help deliver quality social investment programmes to Nigerian children.
Earlier, the General Manager External Relations, Shell, Igo Weli said: “I am particularly happy that, in spite of the low oil price in the global market and the economic challenges in the country, SNEPCo and its concessionaire, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and co-venturers, Esso Exploration and Production Company (Deepwater Ltd), Total E & P Nigeria Ltd and Nigerian Agip Exploration Ltd – ENI, have kept faith with our commitment to support Nigerian youths to attend some of the best secondary schools in the country. We do this because, to us in SNEPCo, education is key to national development; it is the answer to today’s challenges and an anchor for a better and brighter future.”
The beneficiaries and their parents described the Cradle-to-Career scholarship as a lifetime chance to better their lot, and commended NNPC and SNEPCo for the opportunity.
SNEPCo launched the National Cradle-to-Career programme in 2014 to help to bridge educational inequalities resulting from geographic and socio-economic differences.
The endeavour contributes towards the realisation of the UNESCO ‘Education for All’ goal. The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria operated joint venture also runs a cradle-to-career scholarship which is targeted at youths from the Niger Delta. [myad]