Education
THE Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has urged Federal Government to motivate all categories of workers in the education sector, irrespective of their jobs description.
Mr Christopher Akpede, Chairman of NASU in Delta, made the plea on Monday in Asaba, at the beginning of a three-day peaceful protest over alleged discriminatory treatment of his members by the Federal Government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Muhammadu Buhari, had at the 2020 World Teachers’ Day in Abuja, announced incentives for teachers in the Public Basic and Secondary Schools in Nigeria.
The incentives announced through Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, include extension of retirement age of teachers to 65 years.
Others are extension of the years of service of teachers to 40 years from the current 35 years, Special Salary Scale and Enhanced Allowances.
Akpede said: “We, members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) in the schools and colleges in Nigeria, applaud this good gesture of the government.
“Unfortunately, the non-teaching staff in the schools system were excluded from this gesture of government.
“Teachers are not the only workers in the schools.
“Teachers work with diverse range of non-teaching professionals and support personnel in order to achieve the set goals.
“The non-teaching staff in the Basic and Post Primary School possesses requisite certificates and complement the teaching staff.
“Our interest should be accommodated by the Federal Government in the ongoing reform.”
He urged the Federal and State Governments to address all the discriminatory industrial relations practices against the non-teaching staff in the Primary and Post Primary Schools system.
“Non-teaching staff should be included in the approved Special Teachers Pension Scheme to guarantee better welfare for them in retirement.
“Government should also extend their retirement age to 65 years and length of service to 40 years.
“Government should also put in place training programmes for non-teaching professional staff with a view to enhancing their productivity.
“It should make provision for loan facilities, for agriculture, housing, cars, motorcycles, among others to support the non-teaching staff earnings to enhance their welfare,” Akpede said.
Also, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, while addressing the protesters, urged them to be peaceful in expressing their grievances.
Okowa, represented by David Edevbie, his Chief of Staff, said he taught it was an oversight or omission on the part of the Federal Government not to capture the protesters in the incentives for teachers.
“You (protesters) clearly stated that this is not a protest against the state government; I thank you for that. What you are doing in effect is sensitisation.
“I want to believe that it is a mistake or an omission; personally, I don’t think that it is discriminatory against you; I think it is an oversight.
“What you are doing today is to bring attention to that oversight, and I am sure it will be dealt with appropriately by the appropriate authorities.
“As you said, teaching does not involve the teachers alone, it will be unfair to address only one aspect of the supporting staff and forgot the others,” he said.
NAN
– Mar. 22, 2021 @ 19:40 GMT
Tags: NASU members protest against non inclusion in teachers’ incentives
