As part of the 2019 World Teachers Day, the House of Representatives, on Thursday, honoured Nigeria’s best teacher and best principal.
The two persons who were honoured during Thursday seating of the House were Pius Idu and Agnes Elusakin who has been a teacher for the past 27 years.
The House asked the Federal Government to improve on the welfare and support schemes for teachers, especially in the area of training, using the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) approach in addressing education policy and curriculum choices in schools in order to improve competitiveness in science and technology development.
The lawmakers also asked the Federal Government to employ more teachers to address the issue of inadequate staffing and low productivity within the education sector.
According to them, there was the need to increase budgetary allocation to the Education sector in the 2020 appropriation bill so as to equip teachers with the requisite training and adequate facilities in the schools.
The decision of the house was reached following a motion by Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos) on the Commemoration of World Teachers Day (WTD).
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Benson while presenting the motion said, the House: “Notes that this year’s World Teachers’ Day (WTD) or International Teachers’ Day was celebrated on October 5, 2019, with the theme – “Young Teachers: The future of the Profession and was aimed at proffering ideas to attract and keep young persons in the profession.
“Aware that the celebration of teachers followed the United Nation’s Declaration in 1994 for the recognition of the World Teachers Day (WTD) or International Teachers Day to celebrate teachers around the World for their efforts towards shaping the minds of several children and the society at large even though they remain unsung heroes and heroines whose contributions to the society are underappreciated.
“Also aware that the United Nation’s in developing the thematic areas of concentration for the Sustainable Development Goal 4 Quality Education, recognizes the role of teachers as being key to the achievement of its Education by 2030 Agenda.
“Observes that the Federal Government, in marking the day, instituted the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award to show appreciation for the immense contributions of teachers to nation-building.
“Worried that despite the contributions of Teachers to societal development, teachers in Nigeria are overworked and remain among the worst paid in the world, with poor welfare package and teaching environment.
“Also worried that currently none of the E9 countries (Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan) other than Nigeria, allocates less than 20 per cent of its annual budget to education.”
Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabimilla was full of praises for the dedication to duties that led to the choice of the duo by the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT).
In adopting the motion, the House unanimously urged the federal government to support the teaching profession, employ more teachers and increase the budgetary appropriations to education.