The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, has said the implementation of the new teachers’ retirement age and years of service took effect from January 1, 2021. Mr Echocho disclosed this in a press statement in Abuja.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved 65 years and 40 years as the new retirement age and years of service, respectively teachers in the country.
Apart from increasing the retirement age and years of service, the bill also seeks to introduce bursary award, special rural posting allowances and other items that will encourage brilliant Nigerians to take to teaching.
The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who briefed journalists after the FEC meeting, said the bill would be sent to the National Assembly for the proper legislative process before it could become law.
Mr Echono, in the statement, said the new retirement age and years of service would not be automatic as teachers would demonstrate fitness before benefiting from the new scheme.
“Officers will be required to demonstrate fitness after medical examination and those found to be unfit will be advised to retire accordingly,” he said.
He also said this gesture by President Muhammadu Buhari was limited to education officers and teaching staff only.
