On September 22, 2023, the Taraba State governor, Dr Agbu Kefas announced massive increments in allowances added to the already existing monthly pay of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in government secondary schools in the state.
The increments are targeted at motivating the corps to boost their morale for delivering their best for the basic and free education policy recently introduced by the state governor.
The state commissioner for Information and Re-orientation, Barr Zainab Jalingo disclosed the governor’s gesture to the corps members to journalists, describing it as an unprecedented result achieved so far in Basic and Free Education in the state. She added that the initiatives are bold measures taken by the governor for the progress of the state.
According to him, an additional N10,000 will be added to their monthly allowance, a one-time payment of N50,000 as a medical allowance, an accommodation allowance of N25,000 per term, totaling N75,000 for three terms.
“Exceptional youth corps members who distinguish themselves while serving in schools will be offered automatic employment.
“To execute these initiatives, the commissioner of Education has collaborated with the commissioner of Youth and Sports to chart the way forward. The commissioner of Youth and Sports must ensure the timely implementation of these new packages for youth corps members serving in our schools.
“These measures reinforced Taraba State’s unwavering commitment to enhancing access to quality education, fostering youth development and ensuring a brighter future for our children,” he stated.
Though LEADERSHIP Weekend observed massive new enrollments in primary and secondary schools in the ten working days of the resumption of schools in the state, teachers in the various schools who spoke with our correspondent urged the governor to replicate the gesture he displayed to the corps members to the state teachers.
Also, civil servants in the state who commented on the development revealed that the minimum wage in the state still remains N15,000.
“We the teachers here in the state, our take-home is N34,000. If you are employed with a National Certificate in Education (NCE), the starting point is Grade Level 7.
“A university graduate starts with N46,000, that means he has Grade Level 8, Step 2,” a secondary school teacher who refused to give his name for fear of victimisation stated.
They both called on the governor to also consider their plight, stating that civil servants in the state need more motivation than the corps members.
“The governor and his cabinet should be reminded that the teachers and other civil servants in Taraba State are the bedrock which has been sustaining education in the state since its creation. If we did not form a solid foundation, the corps members would not find any school today as their area of primary assignment.
“We are not opposing the government decision to recruit corps members and add up their allowances. What we want is that teachers in the state should also be considered as well so that our members will be motivated to give their best to support the Basic and Free Education introduced by the governor here in Taraba State.
The chairman, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Comrade Sule Albasu who scheduled an appointment to speak on the matter with our correspondent did not turn up and refused to answer his phone calls to clear the air on the position of the union on the plight of their members.
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