By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
Situation with Teachers in Taraba state has been described as sympathetic where Teachers are still receiving Sixteen Thousand Naira as monthly salary.
The State Chairman, Nigerian Union of Teachers, Commrade Peter Julius disclosed this in Jalingo during the 2020 World Teachers Day Celebration.
“Even the Sixteen Thousand Naira, Teachers are still not paid as at when due. The last salary we collected was that of June 2020 and we are in October”.
He said that Teachers are yet to included in the Eighteen and Thirty Thousand Naira Wages.
“I plead with the state government to include Teachers amongst those to benefit from the New minimum wages.
He use the forum to call on state government to put more effort on the welfare of Teachers, adding that the strength of every nation depends on its educational standards.
“Government should put more machinery in place to better the educational standard of the state”.
He appreciated Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku for his efforts in the educational sector.
“The Governor have tried a lot in the educational sector, like Oliver Twist, he should do more”.
He disclose problems faced by Teachers in the state to include lack of salaries, Infrastructural, teaching materials amongst others.
“Government should look into the salaries and entitlements of Teachers, for this will motivate us to put in our best”.
“Teachers in the state are yet to benefit from the Eighteen and Thirty Thousand Naira minimum wages”.
He call on Teachers to educate pupils and their Colleagues on the rules of COVID 19 pandemic which include Hand washing, Observing Social distance amongst others, adding that the disease is real.
” I want to give cudos to the state government for providing COVID 19 materials to Secondary Schools, I want to plead that such should be extended to primary Schools”.
He announced that the federal government have approved the retirement and age of service for Teachers as 60 -65 of age while 40-45 for years of service.
On her part, Comrade Habibat Garba, said that Teachers in the state have been patient about their salaries and entitlements.
” The silence is coming to an end, the Government should not take us for granted, for if we are silent, that does not mean that we are fools”.
“We should be paid just like other government workers”.
“The government should find out from the State Primary Education Board if the New minimum wage has been implemented, we on our part have not feel the impact”.
“If the government implement the wages without Teachers, it is better not to implement it”.
She decried lack of practical aids and Teachers in most schools.
“In some schools, you will meet Headmaster with two Teachers due to lack of Teachers”
“Now is one Teacher to Two hundred pupils, not like in the past, One Teacher to Fourty pupils”.
She disclosed that Primary Schools in the state has no COVID 19 pandemic materials for both pupils and their Teachers and urged the state government to provide such to all Schools.
The 2020 World Teachers Day was celebrated in a low key due to the COVID 19 pandemic compared to the past where Teachers are invited from all the 16 Local Governments of the state to attend.
Nasarawa Reporters 