… NUT Hails Move
BY RITA OYIBOKA
THE Nigeria Union of Teachers (Nigeria Union of Teachers), Delta State Wing, today, commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for dismantling a long-standing promotion stagnation, stopping university graduate primary school teachers from progressing to Level 17.
The commendation was made during a meeting at the Teachers’ House, Asaba.
While speaking, the Chairman of the union, Comr Dickson Poubeni, described the development as a long-awaited relief that had consistently dominated the union’s demands during negotiations and public engagements.
According to him, the reform has restored dignity to primary school teachers who had for years faced structural disadvantage compared to their counterparts in secondary education.
“We sincerely appreciate His Excellency for this bold step to relieve teachers. We are going to give him our best service and full support. From this day forward, we will continue to put in our best to ensure that the teaching profession grows from strength to strength,” Poubeni said, adding that the decision has renewed morale across the sector.
While describing Governor Oborevwori as a “talk-and-do” leader, he commended key education stakeholders, including the Chairman of the Delta State Universal Basic Education Board (D-SUBEB), Hon. Samuel Mariere; the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Kingsley Ashibogwu; and the Chairman of the State Civil Service Commission (CSC), Lady Roseline Amioku, for their roles in facilitating the reform.
Poubeni, however, stressed that attention must now shift to implementation frameworks, including the release of a white paper and ratification by the Joint Administrative Council (JAC) to ensure policy clarity and documentation.
He also raised concerns over what he described as an inconsistent payroll system in primary schools, where teachers reportedly receive salaries without clear documentation or stability.
On promotion processes in the post-primary sector, the NUT chairman warned of emerging administrative bottlenecks, alleging that Application for Promotion Assessment (APA) forms for eligible teachers were no longer being collected in some instances.
He cautioned that such disruptions could undermine established promotion procedures and create avoidable tensions, if not urgently addressed.
Poubeni urged government officials to ensure strict adherence to due process, insisting that promotion procedures must remain continuous and not arbitrarily suspended.
Also speaking, State Secretary of the union, Comr Dan Basime, said the approval has ended a long-standing dichotomy that had weakened morale among graduate primary school teachers in the state.
He recalled that previous administrations introduced incremental adjustments that failed to fully resolve the structural imbalance until the recent statewide intervention by the governor.
Basime said the reform has restored confidence in the education system and renewed commitment among teachers who had previously considered industrial action.
He added that the development represents a turning point in the relationship between government and teachers, with the union now pledging full cooperation with ongoing reforms.
