Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The Katsina State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Monday, appealed to Governor Aminu Bello Masari to approve and implement the 27.5 per cent Teachers Peculiar Allowance for primary and post-primary school teachers in the state.
The outgoing chairman of the NUT, Suwidi Hassan Dayi, made the appeal at the seventh quadrennial state wing conference of delegates, held at the Local Government Service Commission’s Conference Hall, Katsina.
He expressed displeasure that despite several agitations by the union for the implementation of the teachers’ peculiar allowance in the state, the government remained adamant over its plight.
He said: “It is disheartening that in spite of several agitations of our state wing for the restoration of 27.5 per cent teachers’ peculiar allowance to both primary and post-primary school teachers in the state, the government remained adamant on the issue.”
Dayi, however, said the implementation of the allowance would ensure industrial harmony in the education sector and enhance teachers’ productivity and motivation in the state.
He added that the salary structure of teachers was not competitive when compared to other categories of workers in the state, saying the scenario could truncate teachers’ performance.
While lamenting that terrorists had killed and abducted undisclosed number of teachers in the state, Dayi said the shutdown of boarding schools in violence-proven areas by government had negatively affected the education sector.
To tackle the spate of attacks and abductions of schoolchildren, he said the government should engage security personnel for periodic patrols of schools in order to safeguard the school environments.
According to him, “Pupils and students must be taught how to respond to security emergencies. They must also be taught some basic skills of self-defence.”
