By Yahaya Zakka Minna.
The Niger state government has announced the establishment of a N50m Teachers Endowment Fund.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello who made the announcement in a message to ceremonies marking this year’s World Teachers Day celebration which has as it’s theme ” The Transformation of Education Begins With Teachers”.
Bello who was represented by his Deputy Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso did not give details about the fund but said it will take off with immediate effect.
Governor Bello also said government has approved a new retirement age for teachers saying the retirement age has now been shifted from 60 to 65 years or 40 years in service as against the previous 35 years.
He also announced the lifting of the embargo placed on the recruitment of teachers adding that a directive has been issued to the Ministry of Finance to pay the backlog of salaries owed some teachers in the state to enhance their productivity.
The Governor further announced that the administration is working tirelessly to reopen all the schools closed as a result of security Challenges in some local government areas adding that their continued closure are re opened is impacting negatively on the educational sector of the State.
Dani Bello narrated the achievements of his administration in the education sector stressing that steps have been taken to revamp the structures in the vocational technical schools in the state.
In her address the Commissioner for Education Hajia Hannatu Jibrin Salihu said the Ministry has Streamlined and strengthened the operations of the various departments of the Ministry and created an ICT department in addition to repositioning and reinforcing the operations of Private Schools Board.
Salihu also disclosed that the Ministry has carried out a Staff audit and development of a Teacher and Student Management Information System for efficient human resources utilization and management.
At the event teachers who were outstanding in the discharge of their duties were rewarded with some going home with Deep freezers, Electric Cookers TV sets Certificates and undisclosed monetary reward.