Retiree urges govt to employ more teachers

After 35 years of meritorious service in teaching in public primary schools, Mr Gabriel Olusola Igbayilola, bade farewell to his beloved profession last week.

The former head teacher of Ajeromi Central Nursery and Primary School, Ajegunle, Lagos State, however, wishes that the government would employ more teachers for the school, and improve teachers’ welfare across board.

Igbayilola, who retired as a Director of Education, said during his ‘pen down’ceremony held at the school, said the government should replace teachers that are retiring with new ones.

“The government needs to employ more teachers because we are retiring. They are not bringing in new teachers, this children are suffering, no body to manage them. This school needs up to five teachers and the same thing is happening all over. The government has to do something about this otherwise the standard of education will fall drastically,” he said.

Igbayilola also urged the state government to improve the salaries of teachers.

“Where I want them to improve is on the salary of teachers, because the salary doesn’t take us home though they call it take home pay,” he said.

Despite the poor pay, Igbayilola said he was fulfilled as a teacher.

“If you are thinking about the money you will not be a teacher. The passion and joy I derive in teaching this children is what kept me going. I have achieved a lot and in facts I have no regret being a teacher, it is not the monetary aspect of teaching that matters to me, but the characters we are moulding. It’s a great achievement and am happy when I see most of them outside.”

He urged the government to resume the payment of leave allowances.

“I want them to go back to the former system where they usually give us once in November or December. They give us and we use it for January because January is the longest month in the year, because it looks like three months in a year so if they go back to that system by giving us our leave allowance once, the teachers will be happy,” he said.

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