The Senate yesterday expressed grave concern over the persistent failure of state governments to pay teachers’ salaries.
It, therefore, urged the federal government to immediately enter into negotiations with such states with a view to presenting an effective comprehensive intervention scheme that will address the trend to the National Assembly.
The parliament also tasked the federal, state and local governments to immediately take necessary steps towards the payment of all outstanding salary arrears they owe teachers.
It also urged the states to immediately begin the implementation of a priority expenditure scheme that will equate the payment of teachers’ salaries with public expenditure such as security.
The resolutions were the aftermath of a motion by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West).
Therein, he observed that basic education is a concurrent issue which he described as the basic responsibility of both the states and local governments but currently requires the prompt intervention of the federal government to avert a total collapse of the nation’s educational system.
Melaye further argued that a situation where some states owe teachers their salaries for five months and beyond, implies that “what we have in our hands with this situation is a national emergency that requires drastic measures to halt the drift.”
Describing teachers’ welfare as the heartbeat of the success of the education system, Melaye said the ongoing suffering of teachers and students in the public schools can be remedied if only leaders at all levels rise to address the situation.
He recalled how the federal government presented bailout funds to 23 states with the payment of teachers’ salaries as the main drive of the federal government’s action.
He added that the adverse effects of owing teachers would be a nationwide strike which he said would result in mass exodus of experienced teachers from public to private schools.
He also said the trend would be accompanied by a number of pupils from public schools roaming the streets and becoming vulnerable to criminal influences.
Melaye further noted that there is a close link between the falling standard of education, funding and the management of public schools in Nigeria by both the state and federal governments.
He noted that with adult literacy rate of 51 per cent and gross secondary school participation net attendance ratio of 54 per cent, the nation cannot afford to witness any further deterioration of the basic education system.
He advocated the need to explore several education intervention funds that are backed by law but devoted to capital projects, pointing out that such funds can be deployed to pay teachers’ salaries.
He also observed that provisions had been made for the recruitment of more teachers in the 2016 budget without any clear roadmap about payment of salaries.
In his contribution to the motion, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, described as a paradox, a situation where the federal government is currently attempting to recruit 500,000 fresh teachers when those in current employment are actually not paid.
According to him, it is not right to hire more hands without any plan of action for their payment.
Also speaking, Senator Ali Wakili (Bauchi South) lamented that a number of teachers can no longer shoulder their primary responsibilities in their families because they are not paid.
Describing the motion as timely, Wakili challenged state governors to prioritise payment of teachers the same way they prioritise their security.
However, he differed from Ekweremadu’s submission that it was wrong of the federal government to hire 500,000 teachers without a roadmap for their payment.
He said the new federal government’s policy on teachers’ recruitment was a completely different situation from what was being debated.
In his remark, Senate President Bukola Saraki described the trend as a pitiful situation which he said required the appropriate involvement and collaboration of the federal, state and local governments.
Noting that the situation must not be allowed to continue, Saraki mandated the committees on education to ensure that the resolutions passed are followed up with a view to ensuring that the right thing is done about payment of teachers’ arrears.
Also yesterday, the Senate called on the federal government as well as the governments of Zamfara and Sokoto States to immortalise the former Director-General of National Security Organisation (NSO), Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, who passed on last Wednesday in London.
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