The Federal Executive Council (FEC) at its meeting on Wednesday, 20th January 2021, approved a new retirement age for teachers in the country.
The FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari reviewed the retirement age of teachers in the country upwards from 60 to 65 years and also move their years of service from 35 to 40 years.
Approval was also given for special working conditions for teachers including the introduction of bursary award, special rural posting allowances, and other incentives to boost the morale of the current crop of teachers and attract the best hands to the profession.
The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu made the developments known while addressing newsmen after the weekly FEC meeting which held virtually at the council chambers of the presidential villa in Abuja.
The Minister noted that a bill titled “Harmonized Retirement Age for Teachers Bill, 2021” will now be forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration and approval so as to legalize the changes aproved by the Federal Executive Council.
It will be recalled President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, 5th October, approved some new ‘goodies’ for Nigerian teachers on the occasion of the 2020 World Teachers Day.
According to the President, the new approval is in recognition of the roles of teachers in nation-building and to encourage them in delivering better service.
The new approvals were disclosed in Abuja by the Minister of Education Adamu Adamu, who represented the President during the occasion of the 2020 World Teachers Day.
Below are five things the President approved for teachers in Nigeria.
- President Buhari approved a special salary scale for teachers.
- He increased the years of service for teachers from 35 years to 40 years.
- He approved free tuition for children of teachers.
- Automatic employment for graduate teachers.
- Retirement age for teachers was also increased from 60 to 65.