Zulum raises Borno teachers retirement age to 65 years

AHMED MARI,  Maiduguri

The Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has raised the retirement age for teachers in the state from 60 to 65 years,  as a surprise gift for the teachers as they celebrate this year World Teachers Day.

Zulum, who made the upward review on Wednesday in Maiduguri, as a surprise gift to commemorate the 2022 World Teachers Day said that his office has already written Borno State House of Assembly seeking legislation to back the extension of teachers’ years of service from 35 to 40 years and retired from 60 to 65 years.

Represented by the Borno State Commissioner for Education, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, at a ceremony to mark the day with the theme: “Transformation of Education Begins With The Teachers”.

The governor, also announced the reconstitution of a previously existing appeal committee, with a fresh mandate to look into claims by some teachers who were disengaged during some verification exercises by committees over issues of ghost teachers, fake appointments, and lack of required qualification amongst other issues.

He said the appeal committee was to re-examine the merits of claims by affected teachers to determine those eligible for reabsorption into the teaching services.

Zulum also promised to look into areas of gaps in the State’s Education Laws as they affect the welfare of teachers and towards the domestication of some Federal laws which benefit teachers in Borno State.

Excited by Zulum’s policies that improve the welfare of its members, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), the Borno State chapter, announced a special NUT award to Prof. Zulum in appreciation.

The chairman of the state, Comrade Jibrin Mohammed, who disclosed this during the World Teachers Day ceremony said the award was in recognition of Prof. Zulum’s enormous uplifting of teachers’ welfare across the state.

He announced that the union hopes to confer the award on November 28, 2022, at the NUT’s delegate conference scheduled to hold in Maiduguri.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Borno State, Comrade Inuwa Yusuf, praised Zulum’s administration for enhancing the welfare of workers.

He however appealed to the government to organize another round of training for over 7000 teachers designated for further training.

On his part, the Chairman of Borno State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Bulama Kagu, urged teachers to be more dedicated to work.

Highlights of the occasion were the NUT’s presentation of an award of encouragement to the Borno State Commissioner for Education and the Provost of Sir Kashim College of Education Maiduguri, Dr. Abba Mala, for their outstanding services as public office holders.

For a better society