Ekiti Adopts 65-Year Retirement Age for Teachers, Approves 40-Year Service Limit

The Ekiti State Government has approved a harmonized retirement age of 65 years and a maximum of 40 years of pensionable service for teachers in the state’s public service.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the State Executive Council (SEC) and announced in a statement issued on Monday by the Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun.

According to the statement, the approval aligns with the Federal Government Circular issued by the Federal Ministry of Education on June 23, 2022, and is aimed at addressing workforce needs in the state’s school system while retaining experienced educators to improve learning outcomes.

The existing retirement age of 60 years and 35 years of pensionable service, as outlined in the Public Service Rules (Revised Edition, 2021), has been revised to retain skilled educators and align teaching personnel with their counterparts in tertiary institutions, the government explained.

Implementation Guidelines

Recognizing the unique circumstances of different states, the Ekiti State Government has established specific modalities to guide the implementation of the new policy.

According to the statement, the retirement age of 65 years or 40 years of service is optional for teachers. Interested teachers must submit a written application for extension six months before reaching 60 years of age or 35 years of service, whichever comes first.

An assessment committee comprising the Ministry of Education, the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), the Board for Technical and Vocational Education (BTVE), relevant government health institutions, and labour unions will conduct eligibility screening.

The government stated that applicants must not be under disciplinary action, and those who have benefited from prior condonations of service breaks are excluded from the extension programme.

Conditions for Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries of the extended service, including Principals, Vice Principals, Head Teachers, and Assistant Head Teachers, will be deployed to classrooms only and will not hold executive or union positions during the extension period.

The government also directed that the payroll for beneficiaries be separated from that of regular teachers to ensure transparency.

Additional conditions include that applicants must be registered with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and will receive their current salaries for the additional years without incremental accruals. No promotions or preferments will be granted during the extension period, and annual performance appraisals will determine continuation of service under the extended arrangement.

The policy is expected to help the state retain experienced teaching personnel while maintaining standards in the education sector.