The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has tasked states government to prioritise teachers’ salaries and welfare to improve the standard of education in the country.
Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, TRCN Registrar, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) against the backdrop of the Labour Day Celebration in Abuja on Sunday.
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“Teachers welfare should be paramount to our various governments.
“We want our governors to please wake up; the education of our children is important; the future of the country is in the hands of these teachers; when they are not well taken care of, they cannot put in their best.
“If we want the best from these teachers; we want to implore the various states governments in Nigeria to please take the issue of teachers’ salary as number one.
“Let them pay them very well, let them be well remunerated.
“The teacher is the nation builder; they teach, others learn; and so they must be well taken care of.
“We are advocating at the level of TRCN, as professional teachers, these teachers must be respected, their welfare must be taken care of by the various government and we must value them appropriately.
“Let us respect them; let us appreciate their work by giving them what is due to them.
“Many teachers who have done great things in the past are not even being recognised.
“We want a situation where they will recognise teachers at the Labour Day celebration so that we will encourage those who are in that profession.’’
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Ajiboye called on all state governments to ensure the payment of outstanding salaries of teachers in their states.
He, however, commended the Federal Government for putting in place measures to ensure that the quality of teaching and teachers in the country was improved. (NAN)