The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has decried the poor treatment of teachers in Nigeria. Ohanaeze stated this in a statement personally signed by its president general, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
Iwuanyanwu, in a goodwill message marking the teachers’ day, said teachers ought to be treated well considering their roles in Nigeria.
According to him, “There is hardly any profession that does not benefit from the sweat of teachers, but most unfortunately, the welfare of Nigerian teachers is often taken for granted.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo laments the poor conditions of teachers in Nigeria. There is no gainsaying that the building of a modern society begins with the empowerment of teachers, quality teaching and conducive learning environment.”
To this end, Ohanaeze called for better welfare of teachers, adding that it “aligns itself with the 2022 Act of the National Assembly that prescribes 65 years as the retirement age for teachers in Nigeria.”
Iwuanyanwu said, “We urge the states in the federation that have not keyed into this condition of service for teachers in Nigeria to consider it a priority.”
He also urged Nigerian teachers ” not to weary in the pursuits of the ideals,” adding that “teaching remains a noble profession irrespective of the current vicissitudes.”
While praying that teachers will surely reap the fruits of their labour, Iwuanyanwu recalled with nostalgia the consummate devotion of the pre-independence teachers towards community development programmes which earned them the sobriquet of redeemers.
According to him, “The teachers were the moral authority and indeed the pathfinders of the various rural communities. The teachers exuded discipline, knowledge, etiquette, uprightness and hard work.”
