Date: 2018-02-12

A Member of the National Executive Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Vice President, Industrial Global Union, Comrade Issa Aremu has called on the Federal and State Governments to declare a state of emergency in the country's education sector.

According to him, it is saddened to see public schools in a state of disrepair and near abandonment, stressing the need to stop falling quality, incoherent curriculum, examination malpractices, poor funding, dilapidated structures and abysmally poor sector management in the education sector.

The labour leader who gave the charge at an annual lecture organized by the Alumni Association of Ilorin Grammar School urged government at all levels to adequately pay teachers, the real drivers of education and enhance their status.

Comrade Aremu who is an alumnus of the school frowned at the government for not being able to maintain public schools, pointing out that most of the Nigerian leaders passed through public schools.

According to him, Nigeria has demonstrated significant commitment to the great task of meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals with respect to achieving universal primary education; today we must demand for well motivated and productive teachers which must start with the restoration of the age long dignity of teaching profession. "Teaching is the oldest profession that teaches all other profession" he added.

Comrade Aremu therefore stressed the need to restore the status and dignity of Nigerian teachers, who under intolerable conditions are expected to build and sustain a knowledge society.