Buhari approves special salary for Nigerian teachers, increases service years from 35 to 40

In his bid to encourage teachers in delivering better service in the country and commemorate the World Teachers Day on October 5, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a special salary scale for teachers in the country.

President Buhari who disclosed this on Monday, October 5, 2020 in Abuja during the celebration of the 2020 World Teachers Day also increased the number of years of service from 35 to 40.

According to the Education Minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who represented President Buhari at the event, said the implementation of the new salary scheme is to encourage teachers in delivering better service.

The 2020 World Teachers’ Day, according to UNESCO’s theme – “Teachers: Leading in Crisis, Reimagining the Future” has been held annually on October 5 since 1994 to commemorate the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.

According to UNESCO, this Recommendation sets benchmarks regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers and standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions.

“The Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel was adopted in 1997 to complement the 1966 Recommendation by covering teaching and research personnel in higher education,” the organisation says.

“With the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 on education, and the dedicated target (SDG 4.c) recognizing teachers as key to the achievement of the Education 2030 agenda, WTD has become the occasion to mark progress and reflect on ways to counter the remaining challenges for the promotion of the teaching profession.”

The World Teachers’ Day is co-convened every year by UNESCO, UNICEF, the International Labour Organization and Education International.

“The day provides the occasion to celebrate the teaching profession worldwide, take stock of achievements, and draw attention to the voices of teachers, who are at the heart of efforts to attain the global education target of leaving no one behind,” a statement by the organisation said.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly added to the challenges faced by already over-extended education systems throughout the world. It is no exaggeration to say that the world is at a crossroads and, now more than ever, we must work with teachers to protect the right to education and guide it into the unfolding landscape brought about by the pandemic.

“The issue of teacher leadership in relation to crisis responses is not just timely, but critical in terms of the contributions teachers have made to provide remote learning, support vulnerable populations, re-open schools, and ensure that learning gaps have been mitigated. The discussions surrounding WTD will also address the role of teachers in building resilience and shaping the future of education and the teaching profession,” the organisation said.

UNESCO also announced that in view of the current COVID-19 situation, the celebrations this year is taking place online.

The World Teachers’ Day Opening Ceremony and UNESCO-Hamdan Prize Awards Ceremony is holding today, October 5, while the closing ceremony will hold on 12 October. A series of national, regional and global events have also been scheduled throughout the week, UNESCO posited.