President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said that the Federal Government was set to engage more qualified teachers to increase the teacher-to-pupil ratio in the country.

Buhari, who stated this in Abuja while receiving the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, acknowledged that Nigeria suffers a deficit of teachers, which his administration was addressing through the N-Power Teach Volunteers Scheme under National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).

‘’We have created a dedicated platform under the National Social Investment Programme called N-Power Teach, which engages qualified graduates to man the gaps of basic education delivery in Nigeria.

‘’These N-Power Teach Volunteers are deployed as teacher assistants in primary schools across Nigeria to support existing teachers.

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Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Deputy National President, Kelvin Nwankwo (left); NUT National President, Muhammed Nasir Idris; President Muhammadu Buhari; Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; Education Minister, Adamu Adamu; his Information counterpart, Lai Mohammed and Labour Minister, Chris Ngige, during the visit of leadership of the NUT to the State House, Abuja… yesterday. PHOTO: PHILIP OJI

‘’These N-Power Teach Volunteers are deployed as teacher assistants in primary schools across Nigeria to support existing teachers.

‘’The aim of this, and many other government programmes, is to increase the teacher-student ratio at the primary school level, thereby enhancing the quality of students moving to secondary schools. ‘I want to take this opportunity to ask all members of Nigeria Union of Teachers to support these programmes and encourage as many qualified and willing graduates to enroll in the teaching profession,’’ the President said.

The President, describing the teaching profession as one of the noblest of professions, told the delegation, led by the union’s National President, Nasir Idris, that: ‘’It shapes the character, calibre and future of individuals and nations. You and I were all taught by teachers who moulded our persons and influenced our future. No price is too high for good rewards.”

The President also used the occasion to pay tribute to teachers, noting that they have been at the forefront of cultivating young minds to be innovative and inventive.
In his remarks, Idris commended the Buhari administration’s numerous groundbreaking strides in the education sector.

He said teachers in the nation’s primary and post-primary schools identify with the giant strides of the Buhari-led administration, which include ‘’gigantic gains in the anti-corruption crusade, technical defeat of Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East, restoration of teaching and learning in the schools of the North-East geo-political zone that were affected by insurgency and securing the release of Dapchi schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram insurgents.’’

The union leader also praised the Buhari government for sustaining the National School Feeding Programme, among others.

The NUT leader, therefore, appealed for presidential assent to the Bill on Teachers Retirement Age and the Teachers Special Salary Structure (TSSS), among others.