Funding may delay the take-off of implementation of the new welfare package approved for teachers in public schools by President Muhammadu Buhari till next year, Vanguard investigation has revealed.
Implementation ought to have started this year but the government is in a quandary as to how to raise the additional N50 billion needed to pay the salaries of teachers in its 102 unity schools nationwide.
While Buhari has endorsed some parts of the scheme, which have to do with policy actions, such as the new retirement age of teachers and length of service, which have been increased to 65 and 40 years respectively, the payment of new salary structure and allowances are the bone of contention.
Checks by Vanguard showed that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, saddled with the responsibility of paying teaching practice allowance of education students is currently experiencing low revenue, as it only got N197 billion out of an anticipated revenue of N300 billion in 2021.
Though Education Tax, from which TETFund gets its income, has been increased from two per cent to 2.5 per cent, the increment would only take effect in 2023.
TETFund is also under serious pressure as more higher institutions are established by state and federal governments that it has to cater for.
Why scheme must be implemented —NUT
The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, said despite the economic situation in the country, state and federal governments have no choice but to implement the scheme.
Secretary General, NUT, Dr Mike Ene, said the scheme was the solution to attracting good hands to the teaching profession and retaining them.
He said: “It is a matter of priority. If the government gets it right, the scheme is implementable. For instance, what does a public office holder need 100 aides for? We are just wasting scarce resources on frivolities.
“Since the president has signed the bill into law, that shows commitment in a way, but we won’t take any excuse of lack of funds.
“We took the approach of legislation because we don’t want any excuse by state governors that education is a concurrent item in the constitution. That is why before we arrived at what to suggest and put forward, a lot of stakeholders were involved. The NUT, TRCN, ANCOPPS, Federal Ministry of Education, two representatives from the Governors’ Forum, among others.”
FG committed to new scheme — Minister
Speaking on the matter, Minister of State for Education, Chief Emeka Nwajiuba, said FG was committed to the implementation of the new scheme.
“The law has been signed by the president and the Head of Service of the Federation, as well as the other relevant agencies like the Salaries and Wages Commission duly informed. FG has shown commitment and desire to implement the policy,” he said.
Asked whether the government has the funds to implement other aspects of the scheme, the minister said: “The Ministry of Education is not the one paying salaries of teachers in the employ of FG, that is done by the Finance Ministry. Since the president has put his signature, it is the duty of state governments to implement same at state levels.”
TETFund ready —Echono
In his reaction, the recently appointed Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sunny Echono, said the agency was ready to do its own part of the bargain.
He said: “TETFund is ready for the implementation of the policy to pay teaching practice allowance to education undergraduates. It is not new, only that the scope has been widened. Yes, it is an additional responsibility but we are up to the task.
“The president has approved the increase of Education Tax from two to 2.5 per cent. That was part of the Finance Act signed into law by the President. We are working with relevant agencies of government to make sure it works,” he stated.
Recall that during the celebration of Teachers Day on October 5, 2020, Buhari, who spoke through the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, in Abuja, had announced a series of welfare packages for teachers.
They include introduction of a special salary scale, increase in retirement age to 65 from 60 years and retirement from service to 40 years from 35.
Others are rural allowance for teachers posted to rural communities, increase in science allowance, peculiar allowance, automatic admission and tuition free for kids of teachers at their place of work, automatic recruitment of B.Ed graduating students, and payment of stipends Bachelor of Education students or education special allowance.
Education students in colleges and universities are also to enjoy special bursary awards, while TETFund will now be used to fund teaching practice, enhanced entry for graduating students into service, and introduction of special teachers pension scheme, among others.
