Date: 2018-10-07

Labour Party (LP) Governorship Candidate in Kwara State, Comrade Issa Aremu says it is time to restore the dignity of thousands of teachers in the state. He said this in a statement of congratulation to Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigerian teachers and Kwara teachers in particular on the occasion of 2018 World Teacher's Day (WTD).

WTD is observed on 5th October every year to honour teachers unions and associations globally. It is also known as International Teacher's Day. WTD was created by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in deserved appreciation of teachers all over the world. It is also a day to draw attention to the plight of teachers. UNESCO adopted the theme of World Teacher's Day 2018 "The right to education means the right to a qualified teacher".

Comrade Aremu who is also a member of NEC of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) observed that while the education crisis in the state manifests in terms of falling quality, poor funding, dilapidated structures and abysmally poor sector management, the worst according to him, is what he termed "the maltreatment of the teachers, the real drivers of education through delayed and outright non-payment of salaries."

Comrade Aremu who registered his eternal gratitude to his teachers, from primary to secondary and universities, said the least any political office holders should do was to return the dignified status of teachers as the best profession on earth recalling the old saying that "Teaching is the oldest profession that teaches all other professions".

He observed that 2018 theme of World Teachers Day was a "a reminder to all governments that with well motivated, trained and qualified teachers education of our children is assured"

Comrade Aremu promised to compliment the efforts of NUT in restoring the old status of teachers, (the working teaching women and men in both private and public schools). "Teachers must work under good and tolerable conditions for them to be able to build and sustain a knowledge society, adding that the "current shameful and inhuman non-payment and delayed payment of teachers' salaries would soon become a thing of the past". "Payment of salaries of school teachers lies in all tiers of governments adding that he would also make sure that both public and private schools pay their teachers as at when due and with living wages too.

According to him ,the Labour Party government would also recruit more professional teachers to address challenges of teacher shortage and Provide incentives to encourage retention of qualified teachers. while there would also be sufficient political will to regularly and promptly pay teachers in primary and secondary schools, the will lacking today in the present government .