The Kwara State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Mr. Musa Abubakar, on Monday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that he appoints an academic as the Minister of Education. He also said educationists should be Commissioners for Education in the respective 36 states of the federation, as well as head other education agencies.

Also, the National President, NUT, Mr. Michael Alogba-Olukoya, has called for an extension of teachers’ retirement age from 60 years to 65 years in order to increase retention of experienced teachers in schools.

Abubakar spoke in an interview with journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, during the 2015 World Teachers' Day. The theme of the event was, "Empowering teachers: Building sustainable societies.

Abubakar also called on Buhari and the National Assembly to increase the budget for education, adding that the annual budgets so far had been inadequate.

He said, "Once a teacher is empowered, there is assurance that there will be a developed society. No society can over-grow the education level of its people and teachers are key in the implementation of any educational policy of the state. Government, as a matter of necessity, should take the welfare of teachers as a priority.

"Education has not been given priority because when you look at what is coming into education as a budget, particularly in a country like Nigeria where illiteracy is on the high hand, we have inadequate budget for education and teachers generally in the country. Teachers' welfare and education in general must be given priority, if we must meet up with other developed countries.

"An educationist must not only be the Minister of Education but also Commissioner for Education. Chairman, Teaching Service Commission, Chairman, State Universal Education Board and all other education agencies must be educationists. We are of the view that the head of these bodies must be people that are educationally inclined. That is the only way we will be doing the right thing in this country."

Alogba-Olukoya said this in Lagos on Monday at the World Teachers' Day celebration organised by the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Lagos State wing.

The unionist, who was represented by Alhaja Adebola Kareem, said that the extension would also check the rate at which experienced teachers were being lost.

"The problem in our country is that younger teachers are not usually recruited to take the place of the retired ones, thereby contributing to the fall of education standard.

"It has been proven that the longer a teacher stays in service, the better he or she delivers service to the learners, given the experience gathered over the years and wisdom of age," he said.

In his remarks, Mr. Adesegun Raheem, Lagos State Chairman of NUT, lamented the shortage of teachers, return of schools to former owners, poor working condition and poor school running cost as some of the challenges in the educational system in the state.

"We urge the government to provide appropriate working conditions to improve teaching and learning system and recruitment of more teachers. Government must also tread with utmost caution on the return of schools to former owners as this will hinder access to public education and create a class distinction between the rich and the poor.

"Our educational institutions must be manned by professional technocrats in education and teachers must be consulted on policies that affect their profession for quality service delivery, " he said.

Speaking at the event, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, urged teachers to rededicate themselves to nurturing young minds to build a prosperous society.

mbode, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, pledged to place priority on teachers' welfare and provide conducive teaching and learning environment to enhance quality service delivery.

"This administration recognise that a strong and vibrant education sector holds the key to a prosperous and progressive society and poverty eradication. Education is also an investment in the future as it prepares our young people for the challenges ahead," he said.