The National President of Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, Michael Alogba, on Monday demanded that the retirement age of teachers be raised to 65 years.

The NUT President stated this in his address at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, as Nigerian teachers in the country joined their counterparts across the world to mark this year’s World Teachers’ Day.

Represented by Kareem Adebola, the NUT President explained that the demand was made in a bid to increase their retention rate in schools, stressing that this will help check the rate at which experienced teachers are being lost in the school system.

Alogba decried their high-level of insecurity in and around schools, blaming the recent terror attacks and crimes on the sharp drop in the delivery of quality education in the nation’s school system.

He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to hold teachers of primary and secondary schools in high regards, stressing that they are foundation of education delivery and care  of children.

“The memory of the Chibok girls and thousands of others, whose potentials and lives have been truncated, remains traumatic and demoralizing; it is on record that over 600 teachers have lost their lives to the terror attacks,” he observed

“This is in addition to over 19,000 teachers that have been displaced and are suffering great losses due to the barbaric activities of the insurgents,” he said.

Alogba also raised the issue of poor funding of primary schools across the country, especially the problem of local government councils saddled with the responsibility of paying primary school teachers’ salaries, a situation which has led to many teachers being owed.

Despite the terrible experiences of teachers in the nation, he said NUT still give some applause  to President Muhammadu Buhari for the progress so far recorded in the fight against terrorism and  canvassed  for a sustained effort in the campaign and quick restoration of peace and security to affected states and institutions of learning.

“Our traumatized students in the North east must be rehabilitated and adequate attention must be given to the education of our children in various internally displaced persons’ camps, while schools destroyed will have to be rebuilt,” he said.