By Favour Goodness
Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, says teachers will begin to enjoy the new salary structure promised by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), from January 2022.
Nwajiuba disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at a symposium organised by the Ministry of Education.
The symposium was part of activities to mark the forthcoming 2021 World Teachers Day with the theme ‘Teachers at the heart of education recovery.’
The minister, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Sonny Echono, noted that work was being concluded on the enhanced salary structure.
He further disclosed work was also being concluded on other incentives promised by the President during the 2020 World Teachers’ Day.
He stressed that the other incentives ranged from allowances, housing, training, to elongation of service year from 35 to 40.
Echono said, “The President has approved the enhanced salary structure and we will finish it very soon.
“The President specifically approved that it should take effect from 2022.
We are doing all to finish it to ensure that by January 2022, teachers should get the remuneration they deserve.
“We are fast tracking the process of implementation to see that by the end of year we will be able to tell Mr President that all the incentives he has approved are ready for implementation.”
He added, “The President has taken the lead by approving a far reaching and revitalising programme for the teaching profession in this country and there are many soft incentives in that.
“All that is required is for other actors down the line like state governors, the National Assembly and others to key into this initiative and ensure that the implementation is seamless.
“For instance, we are tired of hearing how long teachers are being owed salaries in states.
“It is criminal. So, with the new initiative, we have incentives to attract the best brains and retain them in the teaching profession. All welfare issues including housing, training and retraining, enhanced remuneration, allowances are being taken care of.”
He commended Nigerian teachers for the sacrifice in spite of the many challenges faced in the course of their duties.
He urged them to retune themselves to fit into the new normal occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic by being more technology savvy.
