Repositioning education: FG reintroduces bursary, approves N75,000 stipend for undergraduates
…To raise teachers’ retirement age to 65 years
…Seeks automatic employment for Education students
By Moses Adeniyi
The Federal Government in a series of provisions to vitalise the education sector and encourage teaching profession in the Country has announced the reintroduction of bursary in universities and colleges of education across the Country.
Among the juicy developments include the provision for the sum of N75,000 as a stipend per semester for students undergoing degree programmes in Education in public universities in Nigeria, while students undergoing the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programme will get N50,000 as a stipend per semester.
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu announced this, on Tuesday, at the World Teachers’ Day celebration held at Eagle Square, Abuja.
Adamu whose speech was read by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arc. Sonny Echono said his ministry would collaborate with the 36 States’ government to ensure automatic employment for the students on graduation.
His words: “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.”
Moreover, the Federal Government 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.
The Government added that an award of N150,000 had been proposed for undergraduates and N100,000 only to NCE students.
Adamu stressed that 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.”
He disclosed the fund “would be sourced from UBEC, TETFund, and managed by the Federal Scholarship Board.”
According to him, his ministry “shall collaborate with agencies like NTI, TRCN, CPN, NUC, NCCE, UBEC, PTDF, TETFund, and non-governmental organizations organize training programmes in pedagogy and
information and communication technology for academic and non-academic staff.”
While disclosing that “UBEC, TETFund, and PTDF would assist in funding the annual training,” Adamu said: “Government should partner with developers/recognized institutions 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 range determined by grade level and personal choice – 2/3 bedroom home for middle-level officers and 4 bedroom homes/duplex for senior-level and directorate cadre,” he explained.
On the need for a special salary scale for teachers in basic and secondary schools, Including provisions for rural posting, science teachers and peculiar allowances, he said: “Advocacy and sensitization to critical stakeholders like representatives of state governments, through governor’s forum, ALGON, NUT, NAPPS, OPSON, etc. for their buy-in” will be explored.
He disclosed that there would be survey of the six geo-political zones of the country to ascertain from states and local governments the prevailing situations in their respective states and local governments for an informed decision.
“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,” he said.
Meanwhile, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said efforts are ongoing to extend the retirement age of teachers in Nigeria’s public service by five years.
With the five years extension, the teachers’ retirement age would be moved from the subsisting 60 to 65 years.
Osinbajo who disclosed this on Tuesday while hosting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Maltina Teacher of the Year, 2020 Winner, Oluwabunmi Anani, as part of the 2021 World Teachers; Day celebration, said that there are also moves to employ teachers into the public service starting from level 8 as against level 7.
“So, I think also important to reward teachers; the Federal Government, on its part, has been doing a bit of work in trying to improve the lot of teachers.
“For example, there is policy now, though not a law yet; it is still in the National Assembly about moving the retirement age of teachers in the public service from 60 to 65.
“That’s an additional five years; then also looking at their remuneration.
“I think one of the questions that have arisen is when the teacher comes into the public service; in the past, they used to come in at Level 7, which is not the level that a graduate would come in.
“Part of the policy is that they should come in at Level 8; but of course this has to go through various processes and all that,” the Vice President said.
