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Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo of has made a strong case for increased support for teachers in the society.
Speaking during the 9th (7th Quadrennial) Conference of delegates of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Anambra State wing, at the Teachers House in Awka, the state capital, the Governor emphasised that the nation is directionless without the services of teachers.
Professor Soludo reiterated that one can predict the future of any nation when a cursory look is taken at the quality of teachers and teaching.
Read Also: Subsidy Palliative: Anambra NLC, TUC Praise Soludo
He emphasised that education and health are at the fulcrum and foundation of human development, recalling how his government has been prioritising education, starting with the recruitment of five thousand teachers within the first nine months of coming to office
Governor Soludo maintained that teaching is a profession that should be dignified, as such teachers should not be recruited on the basis of “who knows who” but on merit, which saw Anambra leading the way in its recent recruitment exercise.
The governor commended Anambra teachers for stellar performances and for winning laurels at different competitions, assuring that the present administration would continue to appreciate the pivotal role of teachers in development.
Speaking on the theme of the event; ‘Petrol Subsidy Removal, its impact on the teacher and learner, the way forward’, Governor Soludo stressed that truthfully, Nigeria is presently going through long overdue changes, pointing out that the subsidy has basically been a scam over the years.
He maintained that it was a disruptive but necessary change that makes the era of living in denial to a more realistic era of realities.
“We keep living in denial, kept printing money, up to over twenty trillion into the system. And that is why the inflation.”
He commended President Bola Tinubu for having the courage to remove the subsidy, noting that over the years, the country had been living above its means.
“The country is beginning to face the reality that we are a poor country. We need to get back to the basics,” the governor added.
Additionally, he discussed the minimum wage, retirement age, streamlining of other fees that students are required to pay, limited data in schools, and various other issues affecting Anambra teachers. He made a commitment to continually look into solutions to these issues, beginning with the recruitment of more teachers in the near future.
The Anambra State NUT chairman, Mrs. Nonye Chibueze, praised the governor for giving matters concerning education and teachers first consideration.
Among other pleas she made, Mrs. Chibueze urged the governor to recruit more teachers into the public primary and secondary school system.
