Buhari promises improved remuneration for teachers

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that a comprehensive policy of improved remuneration for the workers in the education sector and a genuine pension scheme are already being worked out for teachers and all public servants in the country.

He made the remark at the 2018 Nigeria’s Annual Education Conference with the Theme: “Education for Self-Reliance: A System’s approach to Education for the achievement of Education 2030 Agenda” held on Tuesday at the Sheraton hotel, Abuja.

The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, said that the choice and timing of the theme is apt for the simple fact that Nigeria has dedicated itself to the implementation of the Education 2030 Agenda.

He said “With the depression in the labour market, education should now be tailored towards the acquisition of skills and abilities that can make the individual a productive and self-reliant member of the society.”

Through the Federal Ministry of Education, he said, that the Federal Government has promoted Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as well as developing the Science and Technology Education Policy for realization of TVET objectives and dreams.

He said that government has commenced the development of a policy on product innovation, exhibition and commercialization that will create a window for advancing the outcomes of the national Annual student’s Skills Competition towards practical utilization and economic benefits.

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To reduce unemployment, poverty, hunger as well as violence, he said that people must pay less attention to education for white collar jobs and, instead, embrace education for self-reliance, job and wealth creation, which is the cardinal focus of his administration.

Buhari also said that in 2017 the Federal Ministry of Education embarked on National Enrolment Drive Campaign to boost enrollment, improve retention and completion rates, and the exercise was flag-off in Bauchi state in January this year with the aim of addressing the issue of out-of-school children in the country.

He used the occasion to inform Nigerians that the present administration has supported the implementations of various initiations aimed at improving the quality of basic education delivery such as the disbursement of N42.2 billion universal Basic Education (UBE) matching grant to 26 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), N851.5 million special Education grant disbursed to 23 states and private providers of special education and #2.2billion teachers’ professional development fund to 33 states and the FCT.

The President while reiterating the importance of teacher education to his administration said the Federal Ministry of Education through the Universal Basic Education has allocated funds towards the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programme to ensure that teachers and education managers are expose to current education policies, management systems and teaching methodologies; adding that “states are met irrespective of its peculiar nature, while paying attention to the judicious utilization of resources.”

He said the Safe Schools Initiative, launched by the last administration has also received a boost from the present administration in addressing security challenges across the North East and in other flashpoints nationwide.

In his welcome address, the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu expressed his appreciation to President Mohammadu Buhari and all other participants.