For the love of teachers
The news that the Nigeria Union of Teachers had chosen Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as this year’s Most Teacher Friendly Governor was the best on the usually frosty and strained teachers-government interface in a long time. It was indeed heart-warming to see the governor receiving the prized plaque from Education Minister Adamu Adamu […]
The news that the Nigeria Union of Teachers had chosen Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as this year’s Most Teacher Friendly Governor was the best on the usually frosty and strained teachers-government interface in a long time. It was indeed heart-warming to see the governor receiving the prized plaque from Education Minister Adamu Adamu as the highlight of the World Teachers’ Day event in Abuja. The fact that a governor from the northern states earned such a significant recognition in education automatically elevates Ganduje above his colleagues in terms of focus and performance for good governance.
Knowing how our teachers are very critical of the sincerity and commitment of governors in giving due priority and consistency to education especially at the foundation level and being conscious of the persistent plight of unpaid, underpaid and generally maltreated teachers, the singling out of Governor Ganduje for an award by the NUT must be the outcome of sober assessment of undeniable achievement. If any progress is to be recorded in reversing the rapid decline in the quality of our students and the standard of education at higher levels, remedial action must not only begin at the basic level but must have enhancement of conditions of service of teachers as a focal point of action.
It turns out that the governor actually has a distinguishing pre-qualification as a trained and experienced teacher which must have put him in good stead to know best how to resolve the problems facing teachers now coupled with his democratic mandate and executive powers as a governor. But it takes more than being a teacher to translate governance into best policies and programmes to correct the ills embedded in administering and managing teachers for a brighter future for education. Neglecting teachers is tantamount to turning education into a liability rather than the precious asset is should be.
Among the remarkable policies that emerged from a review of the background to the Ganduje administration’s teacher-friendly national stature is the unwavering prompt payment of teachers’ salaries. The governor categorically declared at an interactive session with head teachers and basic education providers in February that the Kano State government is not indebted to primary school teachers as their salaries are paid promptly.
In fact the state government was already preparing to take up the notorious problem of “stagnation” of teachers who serve for ten or more years without promotion as Ganduje announced while receiving a report on the promotion of primary school teachers which estimated it would cost the government N490 million. The majority of teachers have since been liberated from stagnation with the mass promotion of thousands of teachers across the state approved by the governor to the ecstatic relief of the teachers.
Even from these random samplings of background news on Governor Ganduje’s handling of issues pertaining to teachers in Kano State it is evident that he was well deserving of the NUT award as Most Teacher Friendly Governor because he has demonstrated a keen sense of understanding of the major challenges affecting teachers’ morale and quality of teaching as well as a focused determination to apply effective and sustainable solutions. This is what Arewa needs urgently!
Danmakranta writes from Lafia, Nasarawa State