The Katsina State Government on Tuesday announced plans to introduce a special allowance for teachers posted to rural communities. The initiative is aimed at tackling teachers’ reluctance to serve in underserved areas, some of which face mild security challenges.
The disclosure was made by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Hajiya Zainab Musa-Musawa, during a one-day summit in Katsina. Represented by the Director of Senior Schools in the ministry, Hajiya Raliya Yusuf, the commissioner explained that the allowance would be a percentage of teachers’ salaries, designed to incentivise postings outside urban centres.
Musa-Musawa expressed concern that many teachers prefer to remain in the cities, leaving rural areas short-staffed. “It is worrisome that many teachers always want to remain in the urban areas, leaving the rural areas with very few teachers. The ministry is doing everything possible to solve this problem,” she said.
She added that the allowance would motivate teachers to accept rural postings and strengthen education delivery in those communities.
