By Peter Usman
Chairman, Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT Federal Capital Territory, FCT Chapter, Comrade Stephen Knobayi has spoken of inadequate teachers and structure facing public schools in the territory.
Comrade Knobayi who was speaking with AFRICA PRIME NEWS in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital, however said, the Minister of the FCT, Muhammad Musa Bello has been performing well in the payment of teachers’ salaries and allowances.
The NUT Cairman who said that Government needs to provide enough teachers, schools, infrastructures, training and retraining of teachers for the purpose of updating knowledge of teachers, also stated that some schools in the FCT needed to be fenced for security reasons.
He observed that if adequate infrastructures are put in place in the schools, it will go a long way in creating an enabling environment for students and pupils to learn effectively.
On the issue of minimum wage which has always remained a controversy between the Nigerian workers and the government, Knobayi advocated that minimum wage should be reviewed considering the economic situation in the country. .
Knobayi stated that with the present minimum wage, teachers and other workers in the country will not be able to cope with high price of commodities in the market, pay school fees of their children/wards, hospital bills among other pressing demands.
He expressed concern over nonpayment of salaries and allowances of teachers in some states of the federation, saying that no teacher could perform well under such condition.
Chairman, NUT, FCT Chapter, therefore called on both states and the federal governments to pay up to date salaries and allowances of their teachers to enable them carry out their duties effectively and efficiently.
“How would you expect a teacher to perform well under this condition? And as you know, some states are presently sitting on the salaries and allowances of teachers which is very unfortunate. Government needs to address this issue urgently to save the education sector from outright collapse” he said.
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/03/05/news/minister-tasks-federal-capital-dev-authority-board-members-to-ensure-adherence-to-extant-laws/
