By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Taraba State chapter, has demanded that teachers in the state be accorded the privilege of appointment as permanent secretaries and promotion to Grade Level 17, just like other civil servants.
The state chairman of NUT, Comrade Nathan Solomon, made the demand on Sunday during the 2025 World Teachers’ Day celebration in Jalingo.
He urged Governor Agbu Kefas to also address the issue of outstanding teachers’ salaries, noting that prompt payment would enable them to concentrate on their duties without the distraction of hardship.
According to Solomon, teachers in Taraba are being denied privileges that their counterparts in other states enjoy.
“Teachers, like other civil servants in the state and colleagues in other states, should be allowed to rise to Grade Level 17 in recognition of our service and commitment. Qualified teachers should also be considered for appointment as permanent secretaries, just as is done in other sectors, since teachers have the capacity and experience to lead at the highest administrative levels,” he said.
While commending teachers for their resilience, the chairman encouraged them to remain dedicated to service delivery.
“While we celebrate today, I urge you to be more committed to quality service delivery for the future of our children. We advocate for policies that prioritize teacher welfare, continuous professional development, and technological support, but we must also, as professionals, create environments where we can thrive,” he added.
He further appealed to government to recruit more teachers in order to reduce the workload on existing ones and ensure quality service delivery.
The NUT chairman also praised Governor Kefas for his administration’s commitment to quality education in the state.
Earlier, the NUT National President, Comrade Titus Amba, represented by the Benue State Wing Chairman, Comrade Obaje Onum, called on Governor Kefas to make teachers’ welfare a priority to enable them to build a generation Nigeria would be proud of.
In her remarks, Taraba State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Augustina Godwin, assured that the Kefas administration would continue to place education as a top priority.
“The Kefas administration will not only prioritize the compulsory education of every child in Taraba, but will also ensure that the welfare of teachers is improved to an unimaginable level,” Godwin stated.
