New Retirement Age For Teacher Sparks Fresh Debate

The move by the Federal Government to rebrand the teaching profession and attract best brains through the extension of retirement age and special allowances is currently causing ripples among education managers and stakeholders.

While some educationists applauded the government’s decision, describing it as the way to go in attracting best brains to the profession, others believed the policy may worsen the already bad situation in the sub-sector.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had last Wednesday approved the Harmonized Retirement Age for Teachers Bill, 2021 which seeks to give legal backing to new measures by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to enhance teaching profession in the country.

The retirement age bill, which has been forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration and approval, seeks to move teachers retirement age from 60 to 65 years, while the years of service will also move from 35 to 40.

But educationists are divided in their views on the development. An administrator, Emma Jimo and National President, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) Kazeem Labaika said this is not what the country or teaching profession needs at this point in time.

They pointed out that at 65, teachers could be consulting for schools without necessarily been in active service. They argued that the policy would only be recycling certain citizens, closing doors against many.

While some educationists applauded the government’s decision, describing it as the way to go in attracting best brains to the profession, others believed the policy may worsen the already bad situation in the sub-sector.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had last Wednesday approved the Harmonized Retirement Age for Teachers Bill, 2021 which seeks to give legal backing to new measures by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to enhance teaching profession in the country.

The retirement age bill, which has been forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration and approval, seeks to move teachers retirement age from 60 to 65 years, while the years of service will also move from 35 to 40.

But educationists are divided in their views on the development. An administrator, Emma Jimo and National President, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) Kazeem Labaika said this is not what the country or teaching profession needs at this point in time.

They pointed out that at 65, teachers could be consulting for schools without necessarily been in active service. They argued that the policy would only be recycling certain citizens, closing doors against many.


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