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FG Reintroduces Bursary In Varsities, Colleges Of Education …Varsity Students To Get N75,000 Stipend, CoEs Students N50,000 …New Retirement Age For Teachers Takes Off
The Federal Government has announced the reintroduction of the bursary in universities and colleges of education across the country, saying it would liaise with the 36 states Ministry of Education, including the FCT Education Board, with a view to effecting it.
The government explained that its collaboration with states and the Federal Capital Territory was to identify the respective course of study required respectively by each state, saying an award of N150,000 had been proposed for undergraduates and N100,000 only to NCE students.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who said this in his keynote address delivered at the 2021 World Teachers Day celebration at Eagle Square in Abuja, yesterday, said the reintroduction of the bursary was part of the resolutions of the National Implementation Committee constituted by the government following President Muhammdu Buhari’s pronouncement in repositioning the nation’s education sector and the teaching profession in particular, during 2020 World Teachers Day celebration.
According to the minister,”Beneficiaries must attend public institutions only and sign a bond to serve their state for five years on graduation.”
The fund,he said,”would be sourced from UBEC, TETFund, and managed by the Federal Scholarship Board.”
He said his ministry “shall collaborate with agencies like NTI, TRCN, CPN, NUC, NCCE, UBEC, PTDF, TETFund, and non-governmental organizations organize training programmes in pedagogy andinformation and communication technology for academic and non-academic staff.”
While disclosing that “UBEC, TETFund, and PTDF would assist in funding theannual training”,Adamu said: “Government should partner with developers/recognizedinstitutions like Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSLB), FME Staff Welfare, and NUT to finance affordable homes for teachers on Build, Operate and Transfer basis.
“The type of house to be constructed is based on a rangedetermined by grade level and personal choice – 2/3 bedroom home for middle-level officers and 4 bedroomhomes/duplex for senior-level and directorate cadre,” he explained.
Speaking on a special salary scale for teachers in basic and secondaryschools, including provisions for rural posting, scienceteachers and peculiar allowances, he said: “Advocacy and sensitization to critical stakeholders like representatives of state governments, through governor’sforum, ALGON, NUT, NAPPS, OPSON, etc. for their buy-in” will be explored.
He said there would be the survey of the six geo-political zones of the country toascertain from states and local governments theprevailing situations in their respective states and localgovernments for an informed decision.
The committee’s document, he said,”is awaiting presentation to the National Council on Establishment, Head of Civil Service of the Federation andthe Federal Executive Council for adoption.
“I assure you all those frantic efforts are being made to implement the resolutions to complement the delivery of effective and equitable sound education that will foster development and contribute to the evolution of a strong, democratic, egalitarian,a prosperous, indivisible, and indissoluble sovereign nation,” the minister said.
Speaking further on the bursary, the minister said that the Federal Government has approved the sum of N75,000 as a stipend per semester for students undergoing degree programmes in Education in public universities in Nigeria.
Also, the Nigeria Certificate in Education students will get N50,000 as a stipend per semester as part of the deliberate effort of the government to attract the best brains into the teaching profession as promised by President Muhammadu Buhari, last year.
Adamu, whose speech was read by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, said his ministry would collaborate with the state governments to ensure automatic employment for the students on graduation.
He said, “Undergraduate students of B.Ed / B.A. Ed/ BSc. Ed in Public institutions are to receive stipends of N75,000.00 per semester while NCE students will get N50,000.00 as stipends per semester.
“Federal Government should find the modality through which respective states’ governments could provide automatic employment for NCE graduates at Basic Education level.”
The Federal Government also said that it has begun the pilot implementation of new retirement age for teachers.
President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier at the 2020 World Teachers Day Celebration approved 65 years or 40 years of service for teacher’s retirement age, and other incentives for teachers.
Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, disclosed this while marking the 2021 World Teachers Day in Abuja.
The 2021 edition of the celebration has the theme: “Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery”.
Buhari said that the ministry had also commenced education officers’ guidelines to ensure seamless implementation.
He said that this had been negotiated and outstanding salaries of affected teachers would soon be paid before December.
“The 2020 World Teachers Day in Nigeria was phenomenal as all that is needed to invigorate and revitalise the teaching profession was packaged and the minister of education was mandated to implement it accordingly.
“I am not going to recount the entire components for implementation; however, the Federal Ministry of Education has commenced the pilot implementation of the increase in retirement age to 65 or 40 years of service for teachers.
“I know that for teachers to effectively be at the heart of education recovery there is need for continuous re-tooling.
“Teachers and all those connected with teaching and learning will henceforth undergo annual training on modern techniques of teaching and learning.
“This will include digital literacy trainings in pedagogy, Information and Communication Technology and others, he said.
He said that education parastatals and other non-governmental organisations would partner with the government to achieve this feat.
He, therefore, promised collaboration with the defence ministry to ensure the protection of children in schools across the country.
The event witnessed the presentation of President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award to outstanding teachers and schools across the country.
The awards are classified into different categories such as the 2021 best teachers in public, private schools, best public and private schools and best school administration.
Among the awardees are Mrs Bridget Nwabueze, as best teacher in public schools; Mr Samuel Ogunleye, as the best teacher in private school; and the best public schools is Bolade Junior Grammer School, Oshodi.
Also, the best private school in the country goes to Greater Tomorrow International College, Arigidi, Ondo State, while the best school administrator is Mr Nuhu Musa from the Federal Capital Territory.
The event also witnessed parade from teachers in the 36 states of the federation, including the FCT, with FCT teachers winning the award.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.
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