Nwifuru Explains Delayed Implementation Of N90,000 Minimum Wage For Ebonyi Teachers

The ongoing settlement of arrears of gratuities owed council workers in Ebonyi State is behind the delayed implementation of the proposed N90,000 minimum wage to teachers under the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

This was disclosed by Gov Francis Nwifuru in Abakaliki during the flag-off of the distribution of instructional materials to public schools in the state. He stated that the financial commitments to pensioners constrained the ability of the 13 local government councils to immediately begin payment of the new wage for junior and primary school teachers.

According to him, “There has been this issue of non-payment of the N90,000 minimum wage to our newly recruited and posted teachers. From available records, no local government goes home with more than N150 million after paying gratuities. If we further deplete that amount, it means we won’t have effective administration at the local government level.”

The governor assured the teachers that the wage implementation would begin soon. In his words, “We want a situation where retirees can process and access their gratuities within one month. We are making this sacrifice to clear the backlog, and I am confident that within two months we will complete it and begin payment of the N90,000 minimum wage to SUBEB teachers.”

He said the concerned teachers would ultimately benefit from the wage adjustment, which other categories of workers in the state are already receiving. He also called for reforms in Nigeria’s basic education system to make it more result-oriented, arguing that the current structure “places excessive emphasis on theoretical learning while neglecting practical competencies”.

He said, “The current model disproportionately emphasises theoretical knowledge at the expense of practical competencies, leaving many graduates ill-equipped for labour market realities. The fault is not with the graduates. They studied what was offered to them. The challenge lies in the structure of the system.”

He said his administration was committed towards improving public education, noting that regulatory measures had been taken against substandard private schools.