Delta Govt Hikes Retirement Age For Teachers To 65, Service Years To 40

Delta Government on Monday enhanced retirement age for teachers in the public service of the state from 60 years of age or after 35 years of Service to 65 years of age or 40 years of pensionable service, respectively.

State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu who announced this as part of the resolutions reached at the State Executive Council meeting in Asaba, said that teachers will henceforth retire at the attainment of 40 years of service or 65 years of age.

The same is applicable to non-academic staff of the state-owned Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, he said.

Mr Aniagwu, said that the executive council gave the approval to enable the teachers and the tertiary institutions workers to contribute more to nation-building.

According to Aniagwu, with the approval, teachers in the public service of Delta can be in the office up to 65 years of age and 40 years of service.

“We did this because we have seen that even at 65, many have garnered lots of experience to be able to teach more and have a clearer understanding of their fields of study.

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“And, they can continue to contribute in moulding minds. Forty years of service is not also a bad idea because we have seen most times that they retire without getting tired.

“Also for the non-teaching staff of our Colleges of Education and Polytechnics, we have given them the advantage of remaining in service as non-teaching staff as much as 40 years.

“They will also remain in service for as long as 65 years of age. So they now have extra five years added to their retirement age and service year,” he said.

BIGPEN NIGERIA (,www.bigpenngr.com) recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had last year assented to the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, 2022 which provides for the retirement age of teachers in Nigeria.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had in January 2021 approved a new bill to increase the retirement age of teachers in the country. The president transmitted the bill to the National Assembly in June of that year.

“Section 1 of the Act clearly states that Teachers in Nigeria shall compulsorily retire on attainment of 65 years of age or 40 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier.

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“While the provision of Section 3 of the Act provides that the Public Service Rule or any Legislation that requires a person to retire from the Public Service at 60 years of age or after 35 years of Service shall not apply to Teachers in Nigeria.”