The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has submitted a new retirement age proposal to the Ministry of Education and the National Assembly for approval, education minister Adamu Adamu has confirmed.
He said that the drive was based on the need for better performance by teachers and the desire to have quality teachers in the nation’s schools.
“Nigerian teachers to some extent require a reasonable retirement age like their counterparts in India, Canada, Belgium that have increased the retirement age for teachers to 65 years.
“We are appealing to the House to approve the bill because the ministry is in support of increasing the retirement age of teachers,” the minister added.
The minister is supporting the increase of the retirement age for teachers from 60 years to 65 years to allow for further improvement in the standard of basic and secondary education in the country.
Adamu said at a public hearing on the need to insulate teachers from the retirement age for public servants organized by the House joint Committee on Basic Education and Public Service.
Speaking at the hearing, Chairman House Committee on Basic Education, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, also confirmed that the bill was being considered for passage.
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“Teachers are the bedrock of any nation and as such their wealth of experience must be tapped to enhance the wellbeing of society.
“How long should we tap that knowledge legitimately in the school system is the question we except to answer today?” Mohammed said.
The House committee, he said, was also considering to amend the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria to strengthen its regulatory powers to promote professionalism and eradicate quacks.
