The Federal Government, on Monday, revealed that the national implementation of the New National Teaching Policy has commenced.
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who made this known in Abuja, said the new policy is a holistic package that would ultimately address the career path, remuneration, professional teaching standards, qualification, deployment and management of teachers in the country.
Adamu who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr David Andrew Adejo, spoke while briefing newsmen on activities lined up to commemorate the 2022 edition of World Teachers Day (WTD), in which President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to present awards to some teachers and schools for their outstanding performance under the President’s Teachers Schools Excellence Award (PT&SEA), holding on October 5, 2022.
He noted that as part of the new policy, the retirement age of teachers on the attainment of 65 years or 40 years of pensionable service has been enforced by the Federal Ministry of Education.
The Minister said the theme for the year 2022 World Teachers’ which is “The Transformation of Education Begins with Teachers” strongly stresses the importance of empowering teachers for the effective transformation of education to ensure quality teaching and learning as well as galvanise technological advancements to meet the ever-changing needs for national growth and development.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Is Anthony Odiong still a priest after life in prison sentence over rape?")
