The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Kebbi State Chapter, has commended Gov. Nasir Idris for what it described as far-reaching reforms and sustained investments in the education sector.
The Chairman of the union, Alhaji Zaki Sarki, made the commendation on Thursday while addressing journalists in Birnin Kebbi.
Sarki praised the governor for approving the extension of teachers’ retirement age from 60 to 65 years, which effectively increased years of service from 35 to 40.
“Gov. Nasir Idris deserves commendation for his magnanimity and foresight in extending the retirement age of teachers. This decision has significantly boosted morale and job security in the sector,” he said.
He also lauded the increase in funding for the state’s school feeding programme from N250 million to N350 million monthly, describing it as a major intervention that would enhance pupils’ enrolment, retention and overall wellbeing.
Sarki further disclosed that the Kebbi Contributory Health Management Agency (KECHEMA), in collaboration with the state government, had commenced the enrolment of teachers into the state health insurance scheme to improve their health status and service delivery.
According to him, the state government has embarked on massive renovation of schools across Kebbi, while Mega Schools have been established in all four Emirates to promote access to modern and conducive learning environments.
“Education is clearly a priority for this administration, even as the government addresses other competing needs. The efforts are steady and progressive,” he added.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the union, Alhaji Gazali Hassan-Maccido, urged members of the public to desist from spreading misinformation about teachers’ salaries without adequate understanding of the payment system.
He explained that staff of the 21 Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) receive their salaries through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs under the supervision of the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB).
“The NUT is mandated by the 1976 Labour Act to handle welfare issues of teachers in both primary and secondary schools. So far, we have not received any formal complaint from any teacher regarding salary shortfalls,” he said.
Hassan-Maccido noted that teachers’ earnings had improved compared to two years ago, adding that most controversies arose from misunderstandings between gross and net salaries.
“Salary deductions are statutory and well known. Some teachers have loan obligations, and when salary alerts come in, they ignore these deductions and rush to social media with misleading claims,” he said.
He also commended the governor for approving salary increments across all categories of workers in the state and for prioritising capacity building over mass disengagement of unqualified teachers.
“Some teachers inherited from previous administrations possess only Senior Secondary School Certificates, but instead of sacking them, the governor introduced training programmes to upgrade their skills and properly integrate them into the profession,” he said.
Hassan-Maccido reaffirmed the union’s commitment to constructive engagement with the state government to further strengthen education delivery across Kebbi State.