Tackle Education Sector Problems, NUT Urges Govt

The Lagos State wing of the Nigerian Union of Teachers on Wednesday urged the incoming government in the state to address problems of recruitment in the education sector.

The NUT chairman, Mr. Segun Raheem, said in Lagos that there was the need to ensure that principals were properly appointed and more teachers urgently recruited.

Raheem said the number of teachers in the state was inadequate and it was important to fill vacant positions.

“So many teachers are retiring, some died and some others are having all kinds of issues one way or the other, so they need to be replaced.”

The chairman suggested that the position of the Headmaster-General should be introduced for primary schools to coordinate their affairs.

“They will act as a link between the Local Government Education Authority and the State Universal Basic Education Board.

“The position of the Headmaster-General is already in existence in Ogun State and it is working well and could also be adopted in Lagos State,” Raheem said.

He also advised that principals should be appointed as Tutors-General /Permanent Secretaries for the sector.

“Some of the appointees now are not teachers and they came in through the back door.

“Three out of the six permanent secretaries were serving principals at the point of appointment,” he said.

Raheem said the appointment of tutors-general and permanent secretaries should be regularised to benefit the sector.

The unionist also pleaded with the government to embark on training and retraining of teachers on the use of Information Communication Technology.