Teachers across Nigeria have renewed calls for improved welfare, better working conditions, and the full implementation of the 65-year retirement age policy as the nation joined the rest of the world to mark the 2025 World Teachers’ Day.
At various events held nationwide, teachers’ unions and education stakeholders decried the slow pace of policy implementation, poor remuneration, and inadequate teaching facilities, which they said continued to undermine the quality of education.
They urged federal and state governments to prioritise teachers’ welfare and ensure that promises made to the education sector are fulfilled.
World Teachers’ Day is celebrated worldwide on October 5 every year.
As Nigerian teachers marked the day on Sunday, data received from the National Union of Teachers revealed that 16 states of the federation were yet to implement the 65-year retirement age after it was signed into law.
The 65-year retirement age for teachers was signed into law by the late President Muhammadu Buhari on April 8, 2022, as part of the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, 2022.
Section 1 of the Act clearly states that “Teachers in Nigeria shall compulsorily retire on attainment of 65 years of age or 40 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier.”
While the provision of Section 3 of the Act provides that the Public Service Rule or any legislation that requires a person to retire from the Public Service at 60 years of age or after 35 years of Service shall not apply to teachers in Nigeria.
Apart from increasing the retirement age and years of service, the bill also introduced bursary awards, special rural posting allowances, and other items that will encourage brilliant Nigerians to take up teaching.
However, the Ministry of Education said the new retirement age and years of service would not be automatic, as teachers would demonstrate fitness before benefiting from the scheme.
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