Make teaching profession attractive, NUT urges govt., raises alarm over teacher shortage problem; govt. committed to education, says Okowa

Commemorating World Teachers' Day in Asaba, Delta State.

The Nigeria union of Teachers (NUT) has called for policy redirection that will make the teaching profession more attractive to young persons in order to meet the manpower needs of schools in the country.

The National President of NUT, Dr. Mohammed N. Idris made the call yesterday Saturday (05/10/2019) on the occasion of the commemoration of World Teachers’ Day.

The well attended Delta State event, which held at the Cenotaph, Asaba was attended by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chief Patrick Ukah who represented the State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

Idris said that the theme of the World Teachers’ Day this year: “Young Teachers: The future of the Profession,” seeks to draw attention to the issues of attrition, teachers shortage and the challenge of attracting and retaining young motivated and dedicated teachers into the teaching profession.

He called attention to UNESCO Institute of Statistic (2016) which stated that over 69 million teachers are needed for primary and secondary education to meet the targets of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) around the world by 2030. Out of this UIS indicated that 48.6 million new recruits were needed to replace those traders who are to leave the profession either through retirement or voluntarily.

On the situation in Nigeria, Dr. Idris said: “In Nigeria, the issue of shortage of teachers has remained a major challenge in the education system. Reports from practitioners indicate an alarming rate of retirement of teachers without a corresponding recruitment to fill the gap. This has resulted in acute shortage of teachers especially in rural areas. The theme therefore brings to the fore the need for a policy redirection that would enhance the occupational and social status of teachers and engender a more fulfilling teaching career that would make the profession more attractive to young persons with a view to meeting the manpower needs of our schools.”

Idris also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into law the bill passed by the 8^th National Assembly for the review of the retirement age of teachers/education officers from 60 to 65 years. “As the bill awaits presidential assent, we look forward with great expectations that His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari will not hesitate to sign it into law, as an extension of the good gesture of the Federal Government to teachers of primary and secondary schools as it was done to their colleagues at the tertiary level in the past.,” he said.  

Meanwhile, the Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has said that the present administration in the state is committed to education as the key to the future of not just the state, but of any society.

Governor Okowa, in a goodwill message at the 2019 World Teachers Day in Asaba yesterday, Saturday (05/10/2019), stated that this explains why the education sector is taken seriously in the state.

The governor disclosed that incentive packages have been put in place to encourage the pursuit of higher education by Deltans, particularly in science, information and communication technology.

He called on teachers at all levels to pay attention to Information Communication Technology, as it is increasingly becoming the pivot around which the future inevitably revolves.

The Governor noted that the responsibility for making teaching desirable is on government, unions and teachers and as stakeholders in the development of education, it is incumbent on them to excel in what they do in meeting the challenge.

In his address, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Nadir Idris, represented by the 3rd National Vice Chairman, Comrade Bashiu Oyewo, said that the issue of shortage of teachers has remained a major challenge in the education system, adding that reports from practitioners indicate an alarming rate of retirement of teachers without a corresponding recruitment to fill the gap.

The Chairman of Delta State wing of the union, Comrade Titus Okotie, said that the theme of this year's celebration 'Young Teachers, The Future of The Profession' is very apt as it is a clarion call on government at all levels to save the teaching profession from imminent collapse by recruiting young teachers into public schools.

 The state Head of Service, Mr. Reginald Bayoko, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters, Comrade Mike Okeme, and the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Delta State Council, Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku, delivered goodwill messages during the ceremony.

Teachers from the 25 Local Government Areas in the state participated in the march past that was a highlight of the occasion.