Presidency to present bill on 65 years retirement age, 40 years service period for teachers

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved to be forwarded to the national Assembly a bill to increase the retirement age of teachers across the country from 60 to 65 years or 40 years in service as against 35.

The new Harmonized Retirement Age for Teachers Bill, 2021.seeks to give legal backing to new measures by the federal government to enhance the teaching profession in the country.

In the disclosure made on Wednesday by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the first Executive Council meeting of the year presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

Adamu stated that some of the highlights of the Harmonized Retirement Age bill which has been forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration and approval include the introduction of bursary award, special rural posting allowances, science teachers’ allowance and other measures to boost the performance of the teachers and attract the best brains.

He said the government decided to increase the years as a reward for teachers’ dedication to duty and also to attract more people to the profession.

“This memo that was approved for the Ministry of Education is a giant step towards what we set out to do last year, with the approval of some special packages for teachers by the President.

“So, at the meeting today, Council approved that a bill which will be called harmonized Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Bill 2020 be sent to the National Assembly for enactment into law so that all the promises made by the president and all the approvals he had given to me will now begin to be put into effect because this is the legal backing that is required for it.

“The essence of the bill actually is to give legal backing for the approval of a new retirement age of 65 for teachers and then the service period being extended to 40 years.

“The intention is to attract the best brains to the teaching profession and for that, the president approved the reintroduction of bursary awards, improving teacher quality, funding teaching practice from Tertiary Education Trust Fund(TETFUND) the enhanced entry point for teachers.’’ Adamu said.

The bill when passed will no doubt motivate the Nigerian teachers and reduce the movement of best brains out of the country.

The challenge that may in the other hand be faced by this proposal when approved will be the willingness of some state governments to religiously implement it.