PRESIDENT Buhari on Wednesday transmitted to the Senate a bill extending the retirement age and length of service for teachers in the country. The bill seeks to extend teachers’ retirement age from 60 to 65 years while years of service have been moved from 35 to 40.
The bill was conveyed in a letter to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who read it out at the start of plenary on Wednesday. In the letter, President Buhari explained that if passed, the legislation would provide for a harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria.
The decision to increase the retirement age and service years of teachers, he said, was pursuant to Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The letter reads in part: “Transmission of the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Bill 2021 to the National Assembly for consideration.
“Pursuant to Section 58 subsection 2 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), I forward herewith the harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria Bill, 2021 for consideration by the Senate.
“The harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria bill 2021 seeks to increase the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years, and also increase the possible years of service from 35 to 40 years.”
Mr Buhari’s letter comes about five months after the Federal Executive Council approved the extension of teachers’ retirement age as well as service years.
