NUT wants primary schools Teachers Salary under State, not LG

Iniobong Iwok

The Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT) has said that it wants primary Schools teachers’ Salaries to be under the State government control in the country, rather than it being handed over to the local government administration.

Chairman of the NUT, in Alimosho local government area in lagos State and a member of the state exco, Comrade Olusesan Ogunwomoju stated this at an event held to mark the 2017 world Teachers day with the theme: Freedom of teaching, empowering teachers, held at Oki primary School complex, Alaguntan, Alimosho,
noting that the union was worried that payment of primary Schools teachers Salaries may be affected if it was handed over to the local government administration.

Ogunwomoju added that the Union was not against local government autonomy as it been insinuated, stressing that the payment of primary School teachers salaries should not be the responsibility of the LG Since the teachers were not employed by them, but the State government.

He said if the local government was granted autonomy primary School teachers Salaries must be deducted from their allocation before it is handed over to the local government, adding that the Union was trying to avoid a situation in the past were the teachers would be owed several months , while primary education may be affected.

He said” The NUT is not against local government autonomy as it is been insinuated, what we want is that primary School teachers salaries should be deducted before the money handed over to them.
They were the one paying before but they could not, there was a crisis in the past, were teachers were on strike for nine months, the LG were the ones paying before but they could not cope.

” We Don’t want them to Pay our salaries because the primary schools teachers were not employ by the LG but by the State”.

Also speaking at the occasion the education Secretary of Alimosho local Government, Honourable mojilade Alamu express appreciation to the lagos state governor Akinwunmi Ambode for improving the welfare of teachers in the state and providing basic learning Infrastructure in schools across the state.

Alamu advocated for private sector support for education in lagos State, though the provision of Infrastructures and the empowering of teachers through soft loans for their acquisition of houses and vehicles.

“The state governor is trying in terms of teachers welfare it has not been this good if you go to the Schools around the State you would See that learning tools are been provided, our Salaries are paid on time”

“I wish they give them soft loan to empowers the teachers, alot of them need accommodation, houses this would make them focus of their job. ” Alamu said.

Several awards were presented to some retired teachers and serving teachers for their dedication and commitment to duty.

The event which was held in Partnership with Laureate Online education International attracted large attendance of teachers across public schools in the Council and beyond.