A new law to extend the retirement age of teachers in primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa State to 65 years has been signed by Governor Douye Diri.
Governor Diri who signed the Law on Monday, March 10, 2025 in his office followed the recent passage of the Harmonized Retirement Age for Teachers Bill, 2025 by the State House of Assembly.
According to a provision in the new law, “teachers in the State shall by this law retire on attainment of 65 years of age or 40 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier.”
The implication of this law is that the Public Service Rules or any legislation or regulation in force in the State that requires a person to retire from the Public Service at 60 years of age or 35 years of service shall not apply to Teachers in Bayelsa State.
The Harmonized Retirement Age for Teachers Law, 2025 defines teacher to mean an education officer, or someone engaged in teaching, including a technical instructor who teaches trade, technical or vocational subject,
in a secondary school, college or professional department as well a head master or head mistress in a primary school who possesses requisite teaching qualification, recognized by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria.
Recall that the Governor of Bayelsa State, approved the cancelation of the teachers’ recruitment exercise recently conducted by the State Post Primary Schools Board.
The cancellation is sequel to the violation of the Service Rule and disregard for the State Executive Council’s approval mandating the Board to employ Nine Hundred and Ninety-Five (995) teachers based on verified needs assessment.
Furthermore, the Governor also constituted a high-powered committee to coordinate a fresh recruitment exercise into the existing vacancies in the Secondary Schools System with the directive that candidates who participated in the botched recruitment exercise to the point of documentation are first considered provided that they fit into the needs assessment.
In view of this, the committee working with relevant agencies would soon invite the candidates.
Members of the Committee are as follow:
1. Hon. Irorodamie Komonibo (Deputy Chief of Staff Government House) – Chairman
2. Hon. Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku Obiyai (Hon. Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy – Member
3. Hon. Timipre Seipulou –Technical Adviser to the Governor on Treasury, Revenue & Accounts – Member
4. Permanent Secretary, General Services, Mr. Felix Asingbi – Member
5. Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Hamilton Ekemena Ekeke -Member
6. Permanent Secretary Establishment, Training and Pension Bureau, Mr. Yela Joseph Alagoa– Member
7. High Chief Dr. (Mrs.) Stella Ugolo, Acting Chairman, Teacher Training and Certification Board – Member
