NOUN VC seeks higher pay for teachers

The Vice Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria, Prof. Vincent Tenebe, said on Tuesday in Kaduna that for Nigeria to attain greatness, teachers’ wages must be reviewed upward with a view to making them the highest paid professionals in the country.

Tenebe, while declaring open the 30th Annual Congress of the Nigerian Academy of Education which was held at the National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna, said the call became imperative because teachers remained the foundation of development all over the world.

The theme of the congress is, ‘Transforming Education in Nigeria to Global Levels of Relevance and Competitiveness.’

The NOUN VC also urged the government and parents to encourage best graduating students of tertiary institutions to join the teaching profession.

Tenebe said, “We know that education is the foundation of every human endeavour. When we are talking about education, don’t forget the teachers. We should not just pay lip service to their welfare;this country should place education as its topmost priority. Government should take teachers’ welfare seriously. Teachers are nation builders.

“Best graduating graduates should join the teaching profession. Teachers should receive the highest pay and should be respected. If you pay a teacher the highest salary, our children will be encouraged to join the teaching profession.

“We cannot develop this country through love; teachers are the ones that bring love. Send teachers to war, not soldiers. Teachers will preach peace and teach love and peace.

“If we send teachers to war, they will preach peace and love and the military will only handle guns.”

On the controversies surrounding the admission of NOUN Law students into the Nigerian Law School, Tenebe argued that the open university was also established by the same Act of Parliament that created other institutions. He, therefore, argued that the NOUN Law graduates should not be made to suffer undue discrimination.

“Nobody will stop our graduates. Once we meet the rules and regulations of the Council of Legal Education, our Law graduates will start going to the Law school . And now we are ready for the Legal council’s accreditation,” he said.

Also, the Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede, called on the government to appoint academics to head ministries of education both at federal and state levels.

PUNCH