Nigeria joined the rest of the world yesterday to commemorate World Teachers’ Day.
Speaking at a special occasion to mark the day in Ekiti State, National President of NUT, Michael Olukoya condemned the unfortunate loss of lives of over 600 teachers to Boko Haram in the North east and that 19,000 teachers have been displaced in the region. Olukoya called on the Federal Government to beef up security around public secondary schools in Nigeria to avert further bloodshed. He also canvassed raising teachers’ retirement age to 65, to prevent premature retirement and retention of mature and experienced individuals in the system.
The event held at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti, with teachers drawn from the 16 local government areas, who were clad in ‘Aso Ebi’ with the portrait of Governor Ayodele Fayose. Delivering his speech on the occasion, the NUT boss said: “The memory of Chibok girls and thousands of others whose potentials and lives have been truncated, remains traumatic and demoralizing.
“It is on record that over 600 teachers have died in terror attacks. These include 308 in Borno, 75 in Adamawa, 18 in Yobe, 25 in Kaduna, 120 in Plateau, 63 in Kano and two in Gombe. This is in addition to 19,000 teachers who have been displaced and are suffering great losses due to barbaric activities of the insurgents.”
Speaking on the occasion, Fayose promised more goodies for teachers in the state’s employ and also, presented cars and other gift items to mark the occasion. He said no educational system could rise above its teachers and that without adequately motivating teachers, the system would only record abysmal failure.
Consequently, the best teachers in primary and secondary and the headmaster general for primary school were appointed and given new car each. Three tutors general were also appointed for each senatorial district. The governor said: “I know the value of your votes and what you represent. I won’t joke with your interest…The issues raised are being addressed and you know our financial situation and within the limit of our finances, we will address them.”
In his remarks, renowned lawyer Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) urged teachers to be more committed to their duty to justify the support given them by the state government. “What I saw today showed that truly Fayose is a friend of teachers. I am a teacher, too, and it will be 70 years next January that I started teaching. I thank the governor for bringing you all together here to celebrate yourselves,” he said.
