NAN-H-33
Teachers
By Usman Aliyu
Ilorin, May 3, 2017 (NAN) The Kwara Chapter of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on Wednesday called for re-positioning of primary education system in the state.
Malam Musa Abubakar, its Chairman, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin.
He particularly advised the state government to review the status of teachers in primary schools in the state and enhance their welfare.
Abubakar said the re-positioning was necessary as primary education was the key to national development.
“ I want the state government to please look inward with the view of addressing this salary crisis at the local governments.
“Once we get education right in this country, we have got everything right, particularly at the grassroots.
“There is need for the state government to look inward with the view of re-positioning education so that we can move ahead,” he said.
Abubakar, also the Vice-Chairman of the State Chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), called for a solution to the non-payment of salaries of primary and junior secondary school teachers in the state.
He said it was worrisome that primary school teachers were being owed salaries at a time the economy was biting harder.
The NUT official said that over burdening the local governments, which had been paying primary school teachers, was responsible for the salary arrears.
“I have said it several times that local government fund is overloaded.
“From what is coming from the federation account, local government is getting less than 25 per cent of the allocation in Kwara and it is expected that primary school teachers take their salaries from the allocation.
“The local governments’ staff and pensioners are paid their salaries and pensions from the local councils’ allocation.
“Junior secondary school teachers and traditional rulers are also paid from the local governments’ allocation.
“It is also expected that from this pool, the local governments must deliver one dividend of democracy or the other to people at the grassroots.
“So, looking at the catalogue of problems surrounding the fund, it is highly loaded; it is pretty difficult for the local government to cope in the state,” he said.
Abubkar advised the Kwara Government to take over the funding of junior secondary schools, to give the local councils a breather. (NAN)
AUO/FLP/TA
Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Tajudeen Atitebi