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Tag: Teachers

  • Gov. Zulum extends Borno teachers’ retirement age

    Gov. Zulum extends Borno teachers’ retirement age

    Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has extended the retirement age of teachers in the state by five years.

    This is contained in a circular from the Borno State Teaching Service Board signed by the Permanent Secretary, Malam Yusuf Garga.

    ”The attention of all teachers is hereby drawn to the fact that Gov. Babagana Zulum, has approved the extension of years of service of all teachers in Borno from 35 to 40 and from 60 to 65 by age whichever comes first.

    ”All interested teachers willing to enjoy this are expected to write to the board through their principals expressing their interest and attach a medical certificate of fitness from any government hospital,” the circular reads.

    Such letters, it added are to be submitted to the board in person.

    President Muhammadu Buhari assented to four Bills recently passed by the National Assembly including Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, 2022.

    The act provides for the retirement age of teachers in the country.

    Section 1 of the act, states that teachers in Nigeria shall compulsorily retire on the attainment of 65 years of age or 40 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier.

    While the provisions of Section 3 of the act provide that the Public Service Rule or any Legislation that requires a person to retire from Public Service at 60 years of age or after 35 years of Service shall not apply to Teachers in Nigeria.

  • Delta State Govt approves new retirement age for teachers

    Delta State Govt approves new retirement age for teachers

    The Delta State Government on Monday approved a new retirement age for teachers in the public service of the State.

    The teachers will henceforth retire at the attainment of 40 years of service or 65 years of age. The same is applicable to non-academic staff of the state-owned Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

    The approvals were part of the resolutions reached at the State Executive Council meeting in Asaba.

    Briefing newsmen on the resolutions, Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said that the executive council gave the approval to enable the teachers and the tertiary institutions workers to contribute more to nation-building.

    According to Aniagwu, with the approval, teachers in the public service of Delta can be in the office up to 65 years of age and 40 years of service.

    “We did this because we have seen that even at 65, many have garnered lots of experience to be able to teach more and have a clearer understanding of their fields of study.

    “And, they can continue to contribute in moulding minds. Forty years of service is not also a bad idea because we have seen most times that they retire without getting tired.

    “Also for the non-teaching staff of our Colleges of Education and Polytechnics, we have given them the advantage of remaining in service as non-teaching staff as much as 40 years.

    “They will also remain in service for as long as 65 years of age. So they now have extra five years added to their retirement age and service year,” he said.

    Aniagwu further said the the council approved some road projects for construction, including Osa and Sunny Ojubo Street and Ojeh Street in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area.

    “We also gave approval for the construction of Efeneteze and Akpoyowere streets, and Our Lady’s Street, with a discharge drain in Okpanam in Oshimili North.

    “We have given approval for the upward review of the contract of Ambassador Leo Okogwu Road to Ososuka Street in Zappa, here in Asaba.

    “We also approved the rehabilitation and asphalt overlay of Ewulu road from Benin/Asaba Expressway in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area.

    “Today, the Exco also approved the rehabilitation and asphalt overlay of Mariere Street in Boji Boji, Agbor. in Ika South LGA; Ajudua Street in Okpanam, Oshimili North, construction of Amai/Aragba road in Ukwuani Local Government Area.

    “Exco approved the construction of Monastery/Otu-Eke road, with a spur to the Monastery (Phase One) in Ilah.

    “These are jobs that are ongoing but we are extending them to accommodate communities within.

    We have the approval for the construction of Alison Ogedegbe Street, off Ring Road, Agbarha-Otor, Ughelli North LGA,” he announced.

    The commissioner added that approval was also given for the expansion of work on Mission Road and Ogboi Street in Akumazi-Umuocha, Ika North East LGA.

    He explained that the project “connects the Catholic Church and other streets within the community. Government has approved today that the drains on the road be widened because of the volume of water on that road.

    “For the nine Technical Colleges, you will recall that we had promised 19 but we are constructing 10 now; so nine out of the 10, we have upward reviews of their contracts with a view to accommodating ancillary works.”

    Aniagwu, who was flanked by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, also said approval was given for the provision and installation of solar power grid to the six newly equipped central hospitals in the state.

    “The reason why we are doing this is that, we need our hospitals, especially the six zonal hospitals, to have power for the greater part of the day, so that they are able to function optimally,” he added.

  • Kano State Govt. builds 2,000 houses for teachers – Ganduje

    Kano State Govt. builds 2,000 houses for teachers – Ganduje

    The Kano State Government says it is building houses for teachers across the state to make the teaching profession attractive, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje has said.

    Ganduje disclosed this while declaring open a two-day NUJ delegates conference currently holding in Kano.
    The conference, which is being attended by about 300 delegates, has the theme: “Conflict-Sensitive Reporting And Nigerian Journalism.”

    The governor informed the conference that more than 2,000 of the houses had been completed, out of which about 750 would be commissioned in Kano metropolis by President Muhammadu Buhari during his planned visit to the state.

    Ganduje said the houses were not free of charge, but that the state government would provide the enabling environment, through the banks, for the teachers to acquire them.

    He also told the gathering that his administration had increased the retirement age of teachers from 60 to 65 years, to enhance the quality of the teaching profession in the state.

    Similarly, the governor disclosed the state government had allowed teachers in the state to further their education, to improve their qualification as well as the quality of education in the state.

    This, the governor said, had made the Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) the minimum teaching qualification in the state.

    He commended the decision of the NUJ to hold the conference in Kano which he said was the commercial nerve centre of the North and some African countries as well as the most peaceful state in Nigeria.

    Ganduje said his administration had ensured excellent working relations between it and practising journalists in the state and the media in general, as well as freest environment for expression of opinion.

    To strengthen the relationship, he said government had constructed corner shops at the state NUJ Secretariat to help serve as a source of revenue for the union, in addition to the standardisation of its Conference Hall.”

    He also said that government had released funds for the purchase of code machines for the state-owned Triumph Publishing Company for possible resumption of daily publication of its Newspapers such as the Triumph, Weekend Triumph, Sunday Triumph, Alfijir and Albishir.

    Similarly, the governor disclosed that the state government had digitised the state-owned Abubakar Rimi Television with the supply and installation of state-of-the-art equipment, while the studios of Radio Kano had been fully equipped with modern transmission gadgets.

    The state Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Malam Muhammad Garba, described Ganduje as a media-friendly Governor, in view of his commitment to the enhancement of the welfare of journalists and the journalism profession.

    Garba said the governor had done everything to enhance the growth of the profession in the state, citing the equipping of the state-owned media – the Abubakar Rimi Television and Radio Kano, as well as the reopening and revitalization of the Triumph Publishing Company, among other gestures.

    Earlier, the Chief Host and President of the NUJ, Chief Chris Isiguzo, thanked Gov Abdullahi Ganduje for his financial support and participation in the conference.

    “This occasion would have been less attractive and exciting without the financial support and participation of our beloved Special Guest of Honour, His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State.

  • NTI to build capacities of 5,000 teachers – Director

    NTI to build capacities of 5,000 teachers – Director

    Prof. Musa Maitafsir, the Director, National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, says it will build the capacity of 5,000 teachers across Nigeria.

    Maitafsir disclosed this in an Interview with newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.

    The Director said that the gesture followed the approval of the exercise by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu.

    He stated that the exercise was part of the 2022 appropriated funds released to the Institute under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Maitafsir said: “Over the years, NTI has been very active in carrying out this primary assignment based in the Act no.7 of 1978.

    “The act mandates the Institute to train and retrain Nigerian teachers using distance learning techniques.”

    He also said that the Institute had commenced the 2022 Nigeria
    Communication Commission (NCC), Education Support Fund for Digital Literacy training of Nigerian teachers.

    According to him, the Institute had also commenced the 2021 UBEC Basic Education Support Fund across the country.

    “NTI had also started the Digital Literacy Programme of Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning Empoweent (AGILE) projets in Kebbi and Katsina states,” the NTI CEO added.

    Maitafsir also said that various capital and constituency training
    workshops across some National Assembly constituencies in the nation were ongoing.

    He said,”the Institute has put in place all the necessary mechanisms that will ensure successful and impactful training workshops.

    “This is for a truly effective and valuable approach to teaching and learning that teachers of today desire to excel in their jobs.”

    Maitafsir commended the Federal Government for according priority to the teaching profession and teacher education since the beginning of the present administration.

    He vowed,”we in the Institute would continue to do our best in discharging our mandate creditably.”

  • Delta: Reject posting and get sacked, govt warns newly recruited teachers

    Delta: Reject posting and get sacked, govt warns newly recruited teachers

    The Delta Government has warned the newly employed teachers for the state’s technical colleges not to reject their postings in order not to forfeit the offer.

    The Commissioner for Technical Education, Mrs Shola Daibo, said this on Tuesday while handing out the employment letters to the recently recruited teachers for the three new technical colleges in Effurun, Asaba and Obiaruku.

    She urged the teachers to be committed and be dedicated to their jobs, and avoid engaging in side hustling during official hours.

    She said, “Over 28,000 persons applied for the job, out of which about 8,000 shortlisted for written and oral interviews and practicals.

    “It was strictly on merit, we did not conduct the exam, and the governor said he wanted to get the best, therefore, we had two consultants to conduct the employment process.

    “That was why the employment was delayed till now. It was really tedious because it took us almost a year to get here. They did exam, aptitude test, we did oral and practicals.”

    Daibo added that the new employees would be trained by experts, particularly, from the state-owned polytechnic in Ogwashi-Uku.

    “Graduates from the technical colleges will be self-reliant, thereby reducing unemployment and poverty,” he said.

  • Sanwo-Olu acquires 13 SUVs for outstanding teachers in Lagos

    Lagos State Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has encouraged teachers to continue putting in their best as his administration will not relent in rewarding excellence while raising the prestige of the teaching profession.

    Sanwo-Olu spoke at the Y2021 Teachers Merit Awards held today at the Sports Pavillon, Lagos House, Ikeja, where he presented 13 brand new SUVs to outstanding teachers and school administrators, restating the commitment to use education as a weapon to change the world and influence the teaching profession.

    The following individuals received 13 SUVs – Adenike Ojo of Bolade Junior Grammar School; Adeola Adefemi of Oke-Odo Senior High School, Alimosho; Bolanle Alamu of Government Senior College Agege; Fausat Adegeye of Ebenezer African Church Primary School Agege; Folashade Oyedeji of Ajara Comprehensive Junior High School; Lukman Agbabiaka of State Junior Grammar School (Special) Surulere; Michael Ayoola of Ansar-Ud-deen Society Primary School; Olubukola Dosunmu of Girls Junior High School Agege; Olusegun Muftau of LASA United Primary School Ibeshe; Oluseyi Amao of Satellite Junior Secondary School; Omolayo Fadayomi of Karaole Primary School Ifako; Soji Megbowon of Jakande Estate Comprehensive Senior College; and Yahya Adesokan of Vetland Senior Grammar School.

    While speaking, the Governor maintained that one of the game-changers in the education development plan of his administration is the EKOEXCEL programme designed to support teachers to achieve better learning outcomes across all public primary schools.

    He said: “The EKOEXCEL Y2020-2021 End line Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation has further justified the huge investment and affirmed the strategic interventions and impacts”.

    “We have also instilled local and international training for our teachers, creating an enabling environment for teaching and learning”.

    Gov. Sanwo-Olu noted that the State’s Government investment in education is yielding positive results and the performance of Lagos State students in WASSCE/GCE has significantly improved from 38.79% in Y2020 to over 81% in Y2021, with a minimum of five credits including Mathematics and English.

    He also emphasised that the Comprehensive School Programme aimed at reducing the rate of dropout in schools, through skills acquisition, is a fit-for-purpose education system poised to create equal opportunities for students across the State.

    “We are equipping school students to be self-reliant, skilled and empowered before exiting secondary school,” he said.

    Earlier in her welcome remarks, the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, remarked that teachers touch humanity and are the most critical factor in the educational system, stressing that the government has continued to keep its promises of raising the prestige.

    “This is a testament to a promise made and fulfilled. Like I always say, leadership is a gift and I thank Mr. Governor for his exceptional style of managing the affairs of the State as it showcases a passion for reward of diligence, commitment and hard work”, Adefisayo said.

    The various prize categories included Best Teachers and Best School Administrators in Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary School categories while teachers in the Special Education Needs Schools and Technical Colleges were not left out of the awards.

    The Nomination Committee Chairman, Mrs. Lai Koiki, said the committee was saddled with the responsibility of screening all 3,582 candidates who applied initially but the number was pruned to 22 semifinalists.

    Mrs. Koiki appreciated the Governor’s passion for promoting the teaching profession and disclosed that some of the teachers were emotional while relating their experiences in teaching students with great passion.

  • Why I fired 1,000 teachers in Anambra State – Gov Soludo

    Why I fired 1,000 teachers in Anambra State – Gov Soludo

    Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra said that no fewer than 1,000 teachers in the state were relieved of their appointments with the state government because they were employed in a hazy manner.

    The Governor stated that the affected persons thereby remained unqualified for the job.

    Soludo, who made the clarification in a statement signed by Mr Chris Aburime, his Press Secretary, on Thursday, said that no qualified teacher was sacked by the government.

    Soludo said that the termination of the appointments was in line with his administration’s effort at repositioning the education sector according to standard practice.

    The statement said: “the attention of the Governor has been drawn to publications on protest by Parents/Teachers Association (PTA) teachers, purportedly converted to permanent staff in Anambra schools.

    “The protesters, who barricaded the entrance of the state House of Assembly, displayed placards with various inscriptions, claiming to have been engaged by the state government before the termination of their jobs.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, no qualified teacher in the state’s school system has been relieved of his/her appointment.

    “The affected PTA teachers who were “converted” to the school system in the last days of the last administration in irregular, hazy circumstances.

    “They were only asked to regularise their employment with the government by taking part in the online teachers’ recruitment test.

    “The idea is to ensure that only those with requisite qualifications, proven capacity and commensurate experiences are recruited into the system.

    “At all times, Prof. Soludo means well for the good people of Anambra State and will stop at nothing in giving them the best, education inclusive.”

    Some of the affected teachers said they were duly employed and issued appointment letters by the last administration in November 2021 but were sacked in April 2022.

    They said they had served Anambra education school system for between two years and seven years as Parents/Teachers’ Association (PTA) teachers.

    They argued that if they could be engaged in that capacity, they should also be worthy of regularised employment.

    The sacked teachers said it was unfair to sack them unceremoniously after working for about seven months without pay and called on the governor to kindly reinstate them.

    The state government had advertised 5,000 vacancies in the Education and Health sectors, in which no fewer than 31,800 were shortlisted for Computer Based Test.

    The online examination is scheduled to hold on June 11.

  • S3x Scandal: What Chrisland teachers, pupils should undergo – Psychiatrist

    S3x Scandal: What Chrisland teachers, pupils should undergo – Psychiatrist

    A Consultant Neuro-Psychiatrist, Dr Maymunah Kadiri, says there is need for the teachers and pupils of Chrisland School, Lagos, to undergo psychological debriefing, following alleged sexual acts in a viral video involving some pupils of the school.

    Kadiri gave the advice in an interview with NAN in Lagos.

    Recall that a sex tape involving some minors from the upscale school, including a 10-year-old female student, had gone viral, sparking outrage and condemnation.

    The alleged sexual act took place when the pupils travelled to Dubai in March 2022 to take part in the World School Games, a four-day annual competition with schools from all over the world.

    The incident became public when Ubi Franklin, a Talent Manager, on his Twitter handle accused the school of complicity in the sexual violation involving the 10-year-old girl.

    “The school as a whole needs to undergo psychological debriefing to enable them outpour their minds and experiences concerning the incident; which will go a long way to help in reshaping the school.

    “This is necessary to enable the schools members recount their experiences, ordeals and observations during, after and even before the incident.”

    According to her, the school should upscale its efforts in teaching and inculcating good morals and values in the lives of the students.

    “Yes, it is true that parents have a key role to play in supporting their offspring. But, the truth is that , children spend more time in school.

    “So, the school has a huge role to play in ensuring that the children are safe, consistent and well-grounded in morals and values.”

    To the parents, Kadiri advised that they should learn to listen to their children non-judgementally, creating free atmosphere for them to freely interact and express themselves.

    According to her, the best way for parents to help their children’s mental health is to give them words to express themselves and describe their feelings.

    She identified discipline, effective communication and personal morals as things parents should pay attention to when raising their wards.

    “By giving children words to their tongue, you are actually giving them permission to speak their mind.

    “This victim (girl), for one month she didn’t tell her mother, why?.

    “So, there’s that gap there; they must not go to the extent of beating her before she can express herself. Parents should create that mutual relationship with their children.

    “As a parent, you have to learn to listen to your children non-judgementally – don’t listen to respond, but listen to understand,” she said.

    Kadiri noted that the victim (girl) and her parents should go for individual counseling and therapy to be able understand how to cope, manage and overcome the situation as well as the traumas associated with it.

    She noted that the girl would have already formed opinions and ideas that only special care can change.

    “The girl in question and her parents need to go for individual counselling and therapy to understand how to better handle the situation, and is a must for them,” she said.

  • Gov. Obaseki approves salaries for newly recruited teachers

    Gov. Obaseki approves salaries for newly recruited teachers

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has approved appointment letters, stipends and salaries for all categories of teachers recently recruited in the state.

    Mrs Ozavize Salami, Executive Chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) announced this on Friday in her address at the graduation ceremony of pedagogically trained teachers and head teachers in the state.

    According to her, 232 junior secondary school principals, 744 junior secondary school teachers, 148 head teachers and 1,358 EdoSTAR fellows are graduated after the training, to teach in progressive schools and junior secondary schools in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while EdoSTAR stands for Edo Supporting Teachers to Achieve Result under the state’s EdoBest education reform programme.

    Progressive schools are schools in riverine, rural and hard-to-reach communities.

    Salami noted that the state had designed and implementing a robust school supervisory system that would facilitate on the spot teachers support and routine teachers professional development.

    Teachers, she said must be held accountable for translating the investment of the state in education into learning outcome.

    The SUBEB boss said that the era of teachers not being trained or upskilled for 15 years was definitely over in the state because children would have to perform better.

    In his address, Obaseki said the recruitment of the young, vibrant, professional and aspiring teaching personnel was a response to the teachers gap in classrooms.

    The governor described teachers as the most valuable resource in delivery of public service basic education, hence the reason his government prioritised their recruitment, replacement and upskilling.

    Obaseki commended teachers in the state, saying their efforts had changed the culture in all classes in the state to meet international best practice.

    This, he said was achieved through the use of technology as SUBEB now managed attendance, teaching content, and supporting pupils learning process.

    He, however, charged the EdoSTAR fellows to work hard during their three years of fellowship, assuring the committed one of their absorption into the public service.

  • UNICEF to train 45,000 teachers in Nigeria

    UNICEF to train 45,000 teachers in Nigeria

    ABUJA– IN its drive to upgrade the standard of teaching in the nation’s schools in line with modern teaching realities, the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, TRCN, has begun a partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, to train teachers across the country.

    The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of TRCN, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, who addressed a media conference to this effect, Thursday, in Abuja, said his organisation with the assistance of the United Nations humanitarian agency will train a total of 45,000 teachers across 24 states of Nigeria on digital literacy.

    The disclosure came as Ajiboye hinted of his plans to move against teachers in private schools across the country for being unqualified to be in classrooms.

    According to him, a high percentage of teachers in private schools across the country had been found to be incompetent to teach.

    “There are no qualified teachers in private schools, teachers in private schools are not teachers. They did not register with us”, he said.

    The programme,he disclosed, would be in batches, beginning with 30,000 teachers in the first instance, from 16 states.

    According to him, “The 16 focal states are Benue, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Katsina, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara and four others.”

    He said the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu had “graciously extended” the programme to eight more states of Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Lagos, Osun, Oyo, and Rivers, upon completion of the circle of 16 states.

    The overall objectives of the training, he explained, included the bridging of the gap created by the outbreak of the pandemic that severely affected the education system of the country.

    “He explained further that the programme was aimed at providing “capacity development opportunities to teachers and school leaders in the deployment of technology in classrooms, distance learning methods using both online and offline to continue learning.”

    “Again, it is to train teachers and school leaders in emergency preparedness and response to provide safe school practice including COVID-19 and build resilience in learners against future shocks,” he further said.