The National Association of Private School Teachers (NAPST), has asked the federal government to provide interest free loans to private school teachers in the country to enable them cushion the effect of COVID-19, with a guarantee to pay back gradually when schools resume.
The Association, which serves as the umbrella body and voice of private school teachers in the country, while making the demand on Thursday in a briefing in Abuja, noted that many of the teachers are going through excruciating pains and sufferings, stressing that have turned beggars.
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This is even as the teachers want school to be re-open, saying they are ready to enforce all safety measures required.
The National President of the Association, Akhigbe Olumhense Augustine said if nothing is done quickly to address the problem at hand, skilled teachers with experience might be forced to dump the profession, which will in turn affect the quality of education in Nigeria.
He said NAPST is appreciative of single digit loans approved by the Federal Government through CBN N5O billion COVID-19 intervention funds but that most school owners will not like to access loans to pay salaries, hence the reason many private school teachers are still suffering.
He said: “But the best way to help the private school teacher is by directly paying into their accounts.”
The body according to him has a reliable database and the network to reach out to her members as soon as possible.
“We are willing to provide the collated data of our members and their account details to help make the financial support directly to them possible to save their families from starvation to death, many are dying of hunger as we speak, while many have turned beggars,” he said.
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