Education: Gov Masari’s Effort on Education through Good Welfare Packages for Teachers

BY Ibrahim M. Abdullah

Education is said to be the instrument of societal positive change, it us a tool used in learning and disseminating the learned, imperative is the human element involved in the process, hence, the teacher.  A teacher is that person who had dedicated his life long in learning and subsequently teaching the pupils/students.

Katsina Media reports, the pivotal role of a Teacher in Nation/State building and National Development cannot be easily washed away. The future of a child/ward and the society at large can only be achieved if the welfare of teachers is guaranteed and accorded the required priority by government and other concerned authorities. Teachers play an extraordinary role in the lives of children, their welfare, quality development and general condition of learning must not be considered.

The importance of a teacher in the development of the society cannot be underestimated as their influence can and will stretch on long after the final well-being beyond the walls of the school. The role of a teacher is complex one, far beyond what people can assume as just someone who teaches what has been programmed in the curriculum

Along that line of reasoning Kastsina State Governor, Rt. Hon Aminu Bello Masari had in the last three years come up with ways and modernity of arresting the ugly trend of not offering teachers' welfare.

The advancement of an employee from one job position to another position that has higher salary range, higher level job responsibilities is promotion. It takes a lot to be promoted. Promotion encourages teachers to work harder and also gives room for recruiting deserved teachers. Welfare benefits are basically identical, some undertaken by separate organizations and some handled by agencies.

Teachers are entitled to some benefits as public housing, privilege to use of teachers' hostel, low-interest housing loans, subsidy for study leave abroad, subsidy for retirement, etc. The funds required to finance the above welfare benefits mainly come from contributions of the PTA’s, allocation of individuals, government and private enterprises.

Katsina State Teachers Service Board was established for recruiting staff, promoting and taking care of their welfare. The board also advises the Ministry of Education on facilitating the development of realistic policies on education. It also compiles a list of staff and forwards same to the ministry for posting as may be appropriate.

When the administration came on board, there were fewer of left-over promotions, but under the leadership of Gov. Aminu Bello Masari, approval for their promotion was given. The board has so far promoted 1,017 in 2015 and 1,577 in 2016, the promotion exercise for 2017 has commenced. They happen to promote 2,423 teaching staff. Gov. Masari's administration in 2016 also approved the deployment of 721 nos. staff from SUBEB especially underlying graduates and HND holders.

Katsina Media and Publicity gathered that the present administration approved many projects and programmes in order to equip the states tertiary institution with adequate staff as well as enhance their welfare for positive productivity. Some of the approved include:
Migration Contiss15 and 65 years retirement age for academic staff of the states tertiary institution' as well as approval of the replacement of 22 numbers staff of the same institution who left services of the institution either by death or retirement.

Ibrahim M. Abdullah is the DG, Katsina Media and Publicity.