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Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has established a committee dedicated to implementing the ₦30,000 minimum wage for primary school educators in the state.
Chief Theophilus Odo, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Enugu State, revealed this information on Thursday in Enugu as part of the 2023 World Teachers’ Day commemoration.
As one of the committee members, Odo conveyed his appreciation to the governor for this gracious act.
Speaking on the theme for this year’s Day: ‘The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage,’ he stressed the need for the re-ordering of a new value system.
‘There is the need for re-ordering the societal value system, such as stewardship, steadfastness, commitment to service, sincerity, etc. which an ideal teacher epitomises’
‘It is this kind of moral vision against the false value of acquisitive, oppressive and exploitative society that will awaken Nigeria teachers to their duties and responsibilities to the nation, as it was in the past,’ he said.
Odo brought to the governor’s notice the importance of recruiting fresh educators in the state and resolving the overdue teacher promotions.
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He also insisted on the governor addressing the payment of outstanding leave allowances for teachers in primary and post-primary schools across the state.
‘We also demand for donation of an 18-seater bus to the union for ease of movement, as the ones donated by successive governments can no longer travel beyond Enugu metropolis because they are old,’ he said.
The NUT chairman advised parents, students and the society at large to give teachers their due respect, adding that ‘honour should be given to whom honour is due.’
He absolutely denounced situations where teachers were beaten up in the presence of their students and guardians, saying it was most unfortunate.
‘Teachers themselves should see commitment to service and hard work as their watchword and be guided at all times by the ethics of the profession,’ he said.
Addressing the gathering, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah, who stood in for the governor, lauded teachers as exemplary figures and guides.
He reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to backing the teaching profession in the state.
Prof. Obiamaka Egbo, an academic authority, stressed in her keynote address that the theme of this year’s celebration resonates deeply with Nigeria’s circumstances, where the scarcity of teachers continues to impede the pursuit of quality education for all.
She highlighted that education is not only a fundamental right but also a potent means for both personal and national growth in Nigeria.
