This year’s world teachers day in Rivers State was celebrated at Isaac Boro Park by Rivers State chapter Nigerian Union of Teachers with an appeal to the Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi to enable the teachers have their own befitting Teachers House Secretariat.
This appeal was made by the chairman of Rivers State (NUT) Comr. Chief Godfrey Nwogu, while presenting his address.
According to him, “Your Excellency, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and indeed the entire teachers of Rivers State wish to humbly appeal for your usual assistance to enable the teachers have a befitting Teachers’ House.
The process is on-going but there is impediment on the area of finance to facilitate the process and not completion. May we humbly remind your Excellency that our letters, building plans and estimated budgets in respect of the Teachers’ House has been on your table.
Sir, the magnimity and love which you have always shown in the affairs and welfare of teachers, we say, please sir, please sir, and please sir, assist us to have Teachers’ House as our colleagues have in their various states. Thanks your Excellency for heeding to this our fervent appeal. We promise that the assistance will be judiciously used for the purpose it is meant for”.
He also said that the non-implementations of financial arrears of UBE Teachers for 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 financial arrears have affected them negatively.
However, Chief Nwogu has cautioned all head teachers and principals in the state not to exhort money from students as his administration will not take such practice kindly will defaulting teachers.
Responding, Dr. Richard Ofuru, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education representing the Governor and Commissioner of Education, Dame Alice Nemi who represented the governor, said 10,000 teachers will be promoted next month, adding that the State Government has provided a conducive environment for all teachers to enable them teach as more teachers will be going on ITC training programme very soon.
Stressing that teachers’ imprest has reached the authorities but every teacher must open an account.
He assured the teachers that approved teachers’ promotional financial arrears for implementation will be put in the budget.
This year’s celebration theme is “A call for teachers, taking the lead for quality education.”
The celebration was rounded up with a symposium titled: Basic Education in the era of Local Government Autonomy A call for legislative caution. And resolved that henceforth payment of primary school teachers should be in the hands of the state government. ###
