The umbrella body for primary and secondary school teachers in the country, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has put in place an insurance programme to take care of its members in the event of death or permanent disability.

The programme became effective August 1, 2013, following the signing of an agreement to this effect by the leadership of the trade union and the management of Capital Express Assurance Limited (CAPEX), a specialist life insurer.

The 'Deed of Agreement, in the Event of Death or Similar Occurrence' brought to life the insurance programme which the union described as a giant beginning in its pursuit of teachers' welfare

The National President of NUT, Mr. Alogba Olukoya, said the agreement was centred on the provision of group life insurance for teachers in Nigeria and it seeks to ameliorate the suffering of teachers' dependants and relatives should they die in service.

According to him, the scheme, code-named Teachers Welfare Insurance Package (TWIP) has been under consideration by the union over time while the pilot scheme came into being following the creation of the state wings of the Teachers Co-operatives, Social Security and Welfare Scheme in Delta, Kaduna, Niger, Oyo, Kwara, Taraba, Akwa Ibom and Imo states.

Olukoya also appealed to the management of Capex to make efforts to ensure the success of the scheme by keeping faith with the deed of agreement. The NUT President recalled the sad incident of telecommunications mast that fell on a teacher who died as a result in Lagos was of much concern.

He also recalled that the school system had become the victim of Boko Haram insurgence and those teachers and pupils who sadly lost their lives to the attacks apart from various forms of accidents, which have claimed the lives of a number of teachers with their families abandoned to the pains of their living estates, also call for concern.

Olukoya said the union could not afford such callous and insensitive indifference and called on the insurance firm to translate the dream of the union into reality. He also enjoined the state wings of the union to key into this project, even if it means committing part of their income to bring members into the scheme.