The outgoing Chairman, Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Suleiman Abdullahi has called on the State government to prioritize the welfare of teachers in the state.
Abdullahi made the call on Thursday while delivering his address at the 6th quadrennial state delegate conference in Lokoja.
He noted that basic education had suffered long neglect by successive governments in Kogi State and lamented that the teachers had been at the receiving end of the neglect.
He warned that any attempt to develop basic education in the state without adequate consideration for the welfare of teachers was doomed to fail.
Governor Bello, while declaring the conference open, assured teachers in Kogi State that he was committed to ensuring that teachers in the state enjoyed the fruits of their labour.
The governor informed the delegates that he has directed the 21 local government administrators to make teachers’ salaries front-line charge.
He commended the resilience of basic education teachers.
The guest speaker, Dr. Isa Aminu from the Federal University of Lokoja called on Federal and state governments to have a rethink in budgetary allocation for education.
He recommended 15% budgetary allocation for education in the first instance from the year 2018 and graduate to 26% in year 2030, in line with the UNESCO recommendation.
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