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On the hugely debated Borno State LEA teachers’ poor renumeration, by Abubakar M Kareto
Without a doubt, this problem dates back more than ten years, to when the state government adopted the N18,000 minimum wage. At that time, the state only implemented the wage at the state level while increments were based on percentile for the LG and LEA staff.
The government explained the percentage increments by stating that the LGAs, who pay the wages of LEA employees, were forced to apply the changes in accordance with their staffing levels and allocations from the central government. This is due to the fact that certain LGAs, particularly those in Borno Central and Borno South, have a sizable (unruly) labour force and insufficient allocations to cover salary payments. As a result, these LGAs received little to nothing in salary increases for LEA employees. However, acceptable raises were given to places with smaller workforces.
Over time, the local government chairmen, education secretaries, and senior public servants are suspected of massively adding the names of well-connected and positioned children, spouses, and relatives in large numbers to the number of personals on these LEA payrolls, making the payroll awkward and clumsy.
Sadly, none of these people are either passionate about teaching or ready to teach in these schools. Making unnecessary voids. Head teachers, driven by frustration, frequently turn to students on teaching practice and youth corps members for instructional support.
I also don’t hold the opinion that these people are trainable; someone who stays on LEA payroll with SSCE for more than 5 years or a decade has no desire to teach and no business to be there.
The state government has made significant investments in physical infrastructure over the years. Yes, this is beneficial, but in order to meet teaching and learning objectives, soft, intangible infrastructures are also required. One essential component of the soft school infrastructure is teacher compensation.
Recently, the state government said only 5,439 qualified teachers, representing 31.6 percent of the total 17,229 teachers in the state, would receive the N30,000 minimum wage. There are some teachers receiving the minimum wage.
Then should a government allow such a menace to linger at the detriment of the future of our kids and the state, knowing fully well that the impact of unqualified teachers on students’ academic performance is evident, with underperformance and difficulties in meeting academic potential? The use of unqualified teachers affects students’ future prospects, their ability to secure fulfilling jobs, and even their performance in various examinations.
Coming from above background, it time to take tougher decision as a government to avoid future calamity.
Richard Michael DeWine, an American politician and attorney serving since 2019 as the 70th governor of Ohio, said, and I quote, “Governing is about making tough decisions, but it’s also about figuring out a better way to do things.” I couldn’t agree less.
Since the current state government has recently appointed education secretaries in all the LGAs, it is time to critically work on the payrolls and expunge all the unwanted workers, because this is the only action that will create a vacuum both financially and otherwise for new competent hands to come on board. There are so many guidelines for teacher recruitment in the country to adhere to, and we have a pool of qualified youths who are ready and willing to teach.
Lastly, these are only my perspectives and opinions; they are subject to criticism and further debate.
– Abubakar M Kareto, I am just a concerned Citizen.
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