The Federal Government has promised to improve the welfare packages of teachers across the country in order to facilitate better productivity and commitment.
This was revealed by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu in Abuja during the ministerial briefing towards the 2017 World Teachers’ Day scheduled for October 5.
The minister noted that the theme for this year’s celebration, “Teaching in Freedom, Empowering Teachers,” reaffirms that peace and security are needed for the development of any nation.
He said teachers deserved to be appreciated for their role in nation building and assured the teachers of full payment of their salaries.
He said the ministry of education is in partnership with state ministries to fashion out ways to improve payment of teachers’ salaries.
In his words: “Irrespective of any sector, whether formal or informal, everything depends on teachers”.
A UNESCO representative, Uchenna Udoji said there is an urgent need to collectively reflect on the status of Nigerian teachers and the conditions under which they operate.
He urged the Nigerian government and all stakeholders to place priorities on màjor challenges facing the teaching profession in Nigeria and how the nation can produce quality, highly skilled and motivated teachers and ensure consistent remuneration of teachers salaries.
Also speaking at the briefing, the president of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Michael Alogba, commended teachers for their resourcefulness, dedication and resilience in carrying out their professional tasks.
“The annual observance of this important day has helped to reawaken the consciousness of the nation and its citizenry to the important role of teachers and the need for teachers to be accorded a status commensurate with the role they play in society,” he said.
The NUT president urged teachers in Nigeria to remain patriotic and contribute their best to the growth of the nation.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that World Teachers’ Day, backed globally by UNESCO was first marked in Nigeria on October 5, 1994.