NUT endorses Alia for second term over education reforms, teachers’ welfare

By Benedicta Aboh

The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Benue State Wing, has endorsed the state Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia, for a second term in office, citing his administration’s interventions in basic education and improved welfare of teachers.

The endorsement was made during the 2026 International Teachers’ Day celebration held at IBB Square, Makurdi, where the union commended the governor for what it described as his commitment to restoring the dignity and professional standing of teachers in the state.

The celebration, which marked the 60th anniversary of the NUT, was held with the theme, “Standing with Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing its Status and Shaping Our Futures.”

Speaking at the event, Governor Alia, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Sam Ode, highlighted some of the achievements of his administration in the education sector.

He said the government had recruited more than 9,000 teachers, constructed and renovated 435 classrooms, provided water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, 36 libraries, 25 school boreholes and more than 13,000 pieces of furniture to schools across the state.

According to him, more than 8,900 teachers had also benefited from professional development programmes, while the government had introduced a N150 million monthly School Grant Scheme to support basic education.

The governor further cited the implementation of the BRACE-UP project aimed at increasing the enrolment and reintegration of out-of-school children into the school system.

Alia said the NUT’s endorsement was an indication of the confidence the teaching community had in his administration’s policies and programmes in the education sector.

Earlier, Chairman of the occasion and Executive Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Dr Grace Adagba, commended the governor for what she described as deliberate measures to restore the dignity, security and professional standing of teachers.

Adagba specifically cited the school grant scheme and harmonised retirement age for teachers as some of the initiatives that had impacted positively on the teaching profession.

She described teachers as critical partners in building the future of Benue State, noting that they had remained resilient and committed to their profession despite the challenges confronting them.

Also speaking, the state Chairman of NUT, Comrade Akuma Terna, acknowledged the administration’s interventions in basic education and its attention to teachers’ welfare.

Terna said the measures had strengthened the confidence of teachers in the governor’s leadership, before announcing the union’s endorsement of Alia for a second term.

He urged the governor to sustain his administration’s transformation of the education sector and continue to prioritise the welfare and professional development of teachers.

The event attracted teachers, education stakeholders and government officials from across the state to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the NUT.