Kaduna State Govt; Playing Politics With Education.

"A government that claims to prioritize education to achieve the best of human capital development should try to involve and develop the various stakeholders in the education sector rather than victimizing them".

Government's commitment on education has never been serious. A government that claims to prioritize education to achieve the best of human capital development should try to involve and develop the various stakeholders in the education sector rather than victimizing them. 

The government attitudes to the education sector, particularly the primary school level is very unfortunate considering the poor welfare, the poor working conditions and the ill-treatment meted out on teachers by the government authorities. 

First and foremost, primary school teachers in Kaduna State were reminded to be under Local government Authorities when the state government implemented the payment of 30 thousand naira minimum wage for the state government workers, therefore, they were not included among the beneficiaries, despite the fact that the appointment letters carry the letter heading of Kaduna State Universal Basic Education with its office address.

The primary school teachers were denied the privilege to benefit from that increments. Shortly after a little increment was made, a Health Insurance Scheme was introduced to reduce the supposed little increment and till date, majority of teachers are yet to benefit from that Health Insurance Scheme as they do pay huge money just like any other person to access health care services when they are ill. 

In the midst of complaints and cries from teachers over the delay of monthly salaries and  irregular screening exercises, the government authorities still went ahead and slashed the poor salaries of these teachers without any explanation. All these things are happening to those that are supposed to lay a good educational foundation for the children of the general public, the authorities who are supposed to serve the general interest of the public have appeared to do otherwise. Teachers also need to be psychologically balanced to be able to do their jobs well. If other sectors e.g; Health, Security, Judiciary etc are also being treated in like manner, the general public will have a lot to contend with. Going by government's attitudes to primary school teachers, they are not considered as parts of the civil servants in the state to say the least. 

While the Kaduna State government is yet to explain the reason for the deduction of the primary school teachers poor salaries, they now came up with another way to discredit the teachers in the name of competency test. 

How could government employ workers and be threatening them with competency test after a few years? Majority of these teachers have not been given permanent and pensionable appointment letters after 3 years in service. Even some of the few ones that have the permanent and pensionable appointment letters have been given promotions without it being effected in their salaries. Who does that? If the test is necessary, what is the work of the supervisors who go round to check if these workers are doing their job well? If it is that necessary, why is it only the teachers? Why is it only the primary school teachers? Why is the government not showing interest in renovating the delapidated classrooms in our various schools and provide the modern learning facilities? That the only way to improve the quality of education especially in the primary schools. Is to organize a random test for teachers to show some of them the exit door? Why is it difficult for the government to organize seminars and workshop to retrain the teachers? Has this government not played enough politics with the education sector? Is this the only way this government chose to fail the masses by bastardizing the education sector from the primary school level? Which good politician plays game with the education of the common masses?  The level of insecurity in the state is already worrisome enough for the people in the state. The state government should try to score some credits in the education sector, at least. The other day, I saw some children of primary school age roaming about in the community I serve, having fled from their communities because of the insecurity.  I felt so bad. 

This should be the main focus of this government and not competency test for now. Some of these teachers embark on long journeys everyday to their places of duty without transport allowance, some even have to go and live in those communities without any accommodation allowance. What plan does this government have for them? To sack them if they fail the test? I know many of these teachers are posted faraway from their local government areas of origin and they had to go and live with people of different cultures and beliefs since they want the job. How could government be threatening these teachers with competency test? I can't get it! 

To me, the only areas we need competency are, the renovation of school structures, provision of learning facilities, furniture, improvement of teacher's welfare and training and retraining of teachers. 

Also our disengaged colleagues should be given their entitlements to boost the morale of those still serving. 

The NUT as a Union, should as a matter of urgency, convey a meeting and release a statement on the next action. If the secondary teachers can resist any proposed competency test, primary school teachers can also do the same. We have taken enough from this government.

Enough of this please!