Otti Orders Re-Engagement of Abia Teachers Below 65

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has ordered the re-engagement of teachers who were retired or disengaged at age 60 but have not yet reached the state’s new retirement age of 65.

Otti gave the directive on Monday during activities marking the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration in Umuahia.

He was responding to demands presented by the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Madu ChukwuJekwu.

The governor said his administration had earlier approved the extension of the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years and directed that teachers affected by the previous retirement age be returned to service.

“I am surprised that that matter is still outstanding. I want to give instructions from this year, Honourable Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, that anybody who is less than 65 years of age, if they have been disengaged, you must return them back,” he said.

Otti orders payment of teachers’ outstanding dues

Otti also directed the payment of all outstanding check-off dues owed teachers within seven days.

He said teachers whose salaries had been delayed because of verification issues should be paid by the end of October.

The governor further directed that salary arrears owed the 4,075 newly recruited teachers who had not received payment should be settled before the end of October.

On outstanding promotions for 2021 and 2022, Otti directed the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board to harmonise the process with the State Head of Service and submit it to him for approval.

He ordered that the exercise should be completed by the end of October.

Otti outlines education reforms

Speaking on the administration’s education reforms, the governor said the development of smart schools was intended to complement conventional education rather than replace it.

“The whole idea is not to supplant traditional education, but to make the future of education available to our children. They can always have a choice,” he said.

The Abia State Government has previously said it has committed at least 20 per cent of its annual budget to education and approved a retirement age of 65 for teachers.

The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Goodluck Ubochi, said earlier that the 2026 World Teachers’ Day theme highlighted the role of teachers in shaping society.

He assured teachers that education remained a priority of the state government.

NUT highlights teachers’ concerns

The NUT chairman, ChukwuJekwu, commended the administration for what he described as efforts to reposition the education sector.

He cited the recruitment of more than 9,000 teachers, payment of salary arrears owed by previous administrations and regular payment of teachers’ salaries.

ChukwuJekwu also listed the allocation of 20 per cent of the annual budget to education among the administration’s achievements.

However, he drew the governor’s attention to challenges facing teachers in the state and expressed confidence that the issues would be addressed.