NUT Lauds Govt Over Teachers’ Welfare

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Ogun State has lauded  the state government’s effort at raising the standard of public schools and improving teachers’ welfare and described it as laudable.

The Chairman of NUT, Mr Dare Ilekoya, told newsmen in Ijebu-Ode that the efforts had impacted positively on the state’s education sector.

According to him, improvements in the sector are visible and that teachers are now happy to render service to improve the standard of education.

“In the olden days, you were not happy because of the conditions of service of teachers, but nowadays things are changing, stressing that  “More people are willing to become teachers because the status of teachers has changed.

He said “‘Gone are those days when teachers absconded from schools because they were looking elsewhere for better jobs, adding that  “When you are happy with what you are doing, then you will be ready to put in your best,” Ilekoya said.

He said because of the improvement in the sector many public schools could compete favourably with private ones.

Ilekoya, however, appealed to the state government to address “some lingering challenges’’ facing members of the union in the state.

“We still have shortage of teachers in schools and there are still some outstanding allowances such as the 27.5 percent peculiar allowance for teachers, stressing that,  “Only 15 percent of the allowance has been paid.”

On the calling-off of the six-month-old strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Ogun NUT boss expressed delight at the development.

Ilekoya urged the Federal Government to implement to the letter whatever agreement it reached with ASUU.

“We do not want to face this kind of ugly situation again in future.”