By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Teachers in Kwara state have commended the state government for prioritising the welfare of workers, particularly the prompt payment of teachers salaries, cash-backing of Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) teachers’ promotions of 2021 and 2022 and the recent approval of 2023 and 2024 promotions, among others.

Speaking at this year’s World Teachers Day celebration in Ilorin, the state capital, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Yusuf Agboola, however, said that teacher in the state still face challenges of “incorrect implementation of the 27.5 percent teachers specific allowance (TSA) for teachers in TRN certificated and 21 percent of non TRN certificated teachers, pointing out that “this/problem is peculiar to only Kwara State in the entire federation”.

Other challenges, according to him, include non-implementation of November 2023 palliatives for teachers under TESCOM, non implementation of annual increment steps for SUBEB teachers for many years, non- recruitment of more teachers for senior secondary schools despite massive retirements that occurred between 2022 and 2024, non- payment of rural allowance for teachers in rural areas and the state government’s non key into the 65/40 years harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria.

Also speaking, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Muritala Olayinka, said that efforts are ongoing with other stakeholders to ensure implementation of the new minimum wage in the state soonest.

Comrade Olayinka said that “the committee set up by the state government is working round the clock to ensure that the new minimum wage is implemented in the state.

“I, therefore, urge teachers in the state to exercise a little patience. At the end of the day, we will come out with something tangible that will make everybody smile,” he added.

Corroborating the NLC chief, Chairman of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Professor Shehu Adaramaja, said that teachers would be taken care of in the new minimum wage.

Represented by Alhaji AbdulLateef Solagberu, Professor Adaramaja said that “a committee has been inaugurated by the state government. The NUT has been adequately represented.

“Even though, the Federal Government is yet to come out with clear-cut modalities for the payment, what I want us to know is that as soon as approval is given, teachers will be adequately taken care of.”