INTRODUCTION/GREETINGS
I salute Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigerian teachers and Kwara teachers in particular on today’s occasion of 2018 World Teacher’s Day (WTD). WTD is observed on 5th October every year to honour teachers unions and associations globally. It is also known as International Teacher’s Day. WTD was created by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in deserved appreciation of teachers all over the world. It is also a day to draw attention to the plight of teachers.

2018 THEME
UNESCO adopted the theme of World Teacher’s Day 2018 “The right to education means the right to a qualified teacher”. This apt theme is a reminder to all governments that with well motivated, trained and qualified teachers education of our children is assured. Or put in another way; without well motivated, trained and qualified teachers, the right to education cannot be realized.

I AM PROUD OF MY TEACHERS
I agree with the old saying that; “Teaching is the oldest profession that teaches all other professions”. I remain eternally grateful to all my teachers, from primary to secondary and universities for their efforts in training me and my generation to the present level of pride. The least I can do in honor of my teachers and the current teachers of our children is to make sure we return the dignified status of teachers as the best profession on earth.

KWARA EDUCATION CRISIS
Kwara education crisis manifests in terms of falling quality, poor funding, dilapidated structures and abysmally poor sector management. But the worst is the maltreatment of the teachers, the real drivers of education.

TEACHERS WOULD BE PAID LIVING WAGE
I promise to stop this and restore the old glory of Kwara teachers. Nigeria union of Teachers (NUT) is one of the first generation oldest unions in Africa, formed in 1931! NUT has commendably waged endless struggle to bring to the fore critical issues begging for attention in the country’s education sector.

TEACHERS AS NATION BUILDERS
The point cannot be overstated; Nigeria just marks 58th independence anniversary. We must realise that most nationalists and in fact subsequent immediate independence era political leaders were teachers by professions and they were proud of their professions. The founding Prime Minister Tafa Balawa was a teacher. Malam Aminu Kano was a Mallam teacher too. Of course Nnamdi Azikwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo were super teachers too! In the classic TV series: Village Headmaster in which teachers were the custodians of wisdom and knowledge next if not equal to the traditional ruler, Kabiyesi. This summed up the dignified position of teachers in Nigeria of 60s, 70s and 80s. During this great era non-payment and delayed payment of teachers’ salaries were unthinkable. No governor would impress anybody either that he had paid salary as “at when and due” as the latest shameless scorecard of some governors’ “achievements” shows.

I promise to compliment the efforts of NUT in restoring the old status of teachers, (the working teaching women and men in both private and public schools). Teachers must work under good and tolerable conditions for them to be able to build and sustain a knowledge society. It is remarkable and commendable that Universal Basic Education (UBE) is being revived. Nigeria has demonstrated significant commitment to the great task of meeting the UN sustainable Development goal with respect to achieving universal primary education. I promise to meet the goal in Kwara state by creating the conditions, for well motivate and trained quality teachers expected to make the miracle of educational transformation possible.

The current shameful and inhuman non-payment and delayed payment of teachers’ salaries would become a thing of the past under my leadership of the state. State governments that often blame dwindling Federal Government’s allocation to council areas as reason for their inability to offset teachers’ salaries arrears are not sincere. Payment of salaries of school teachers lies in all tiers of governments. We will also make sure that both public and private schools pay their teachers as at when due and with living wages too. Labour Party government would also Recruit more professional teachers to address challenges of teacher shortage and Provide incentives to encourage retention of qualified teachers. There will also be sufficient political will to regularly and promptly pay teachers in primary and secondary schools, the will lacking today in the present government.

ISSA AREMU, mni
LP Governorship Candidate, Kwara State