By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

Teachers in Kwara state have called on Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to intervene in the challenges of incorrect implementation of 27.5 %Teachers Specific Allowance (TSA) for teachers TRN Certificated and 21 % non-TN Certificated Teachers.

The State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Yusuf Agboola, who appealed this year’s World Teacher’s Day celebrations held at the NUT House along Asa Dam Ilorin today said that the state government intervention became imperative because the challenge is peculiar to Kwara state alone.

According to him, “We are still facing this challenge of incorrect implementation of 27.5 % Teachers Specific allowance (TSA) for teachers in TRN certificated and 21 % of non-TRN certificated teachers.

“This problem is peculiar to only Kwara State in the entire federation. We are therefore appealing to our amiable governor to intervene in this challenge and correct the implementation for us so that we can be at par with other states of the federation.”

Other challenges he listed for the state government’s attention include the 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.

Also included are non-payment of rural allowance for teachers in rural areas and that the state government is yet to key into the 65/40 years harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria.

Agboola however commended the state government for prompt payment of teachers’ salaries, Cash-backing of the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), teachers’ promotions of 2021 and 2022 and the recent approval of 2023 and 2024 promotions.

Also speaking, the State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Muritala Olayinka, said that efforts are ongoing with other stakeholders to ensure the 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 said.

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 Abdullatef 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”.