Comrade Dickson Poubeni, the newly elected Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Delta State chapter, has pledged to reorganize, strengthen, and rebuild the union in a bid to give it a fresh outlook and restore dignity to the teaching profession.
He made this known during an interview with journalists shortly after the celebration of this year’s World Teachers’ Day — his first as chairman of the union.
Comrade Poubeni said his leadership would build upon the solid foundation laid by his predecessors but with a renewed energy to address the core challenges facing teachers, especially at the primary school level.
A key focus of his administration, he noted, is tackling the lingering issue of the ‘Level 14 ceiling’ that restricts the career progression of graduate teachers in primary schools. According to him, this policy limits teachers’ take-home pay and diminishes the overall value of their contributions.
“We intend to engage in constructive dialogue with the government to remove the level 14 ceiling and ensure graduate teachers in primary schools are adequately recognized and rewarded,” he said.
The NUT chairman also decried the exclusion of teachers from educational policy-making, a practice that he said was once in place but has now disappeared. He called on the government to reinstate teachers into policy formulation processes, stressing that their on-the-ground experience is vital for effective and realistic educational reforms.
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Beyond administrative and policy issues, Comrade Poubeni pointed to the growing challenge of negative parental reactions when teachers discipline students. He argued that this undermines authority in classrooms and hampers the learning process.
On teacher welfare, Poubeni emphasized the need for immediate improvements, noting that teachers, like politicians and bankers, patronize the same markets and face the same economic pressures.
“Teachers’ rewards should not only be in heaven,” he asserted. “They need to be rewarded here on earth as well. The government must take concrete steps to ensure their welfare reflects their contribution to nation-building.”
Comrade Poubeni reiterated his commitment to advocacy, dialogue, and systemic reforms aimed at elevating the status and wellbeing of teachers across Delta State.
