Osun Primary, Secondary School Teachers’ January Salaries May Be Delayed – SUBEB Chair
The Chairman, Osun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Hon. Ibukun Fadipe, has disclosed that the January salaries of Primary and Junior Secondary School teachers in the state will be delayed.
Speaking on Fresh FM Osogbo’s Agbami Oselu programme, Hon. Fadipe attributed the possible delay to the implementation of Financial Autonomy for Local Governments, which requires each local government to independently collect its allocation from Abuja.
Explaining the situation, Fadipe revealed that before now, funds for teachers’ salaries were jointly managed and disbursed by the Ministry of Local Government, ensuring some level of coordination. However, with the recent autonomy judgment, the disbursement process has become fragmented, as each local government is now responsible for collecting and disbursing its allocation independently.
He said, “In the past, the Ministry of Local Government coordinated payments for teachers’ salaries. But with the autonomy judgment, local governments will now independently collect their allocations from Abuja and manage their disbursements. This is bound to create delays because of varying timelines for fund transfers and other technical challenges.”
Fadipe highlighted additional factors that may cause delays, including discrepancies in local government banking systems, promotions, retirements, and new appointments that affect monthly salary computations.
He noted that SUBEB’s role in salary preparation ends once it submits payroll data to the Ministry of Local Government, which then handles the payments.
He assured teachers that SUBEB has taken proactive steps to mitigate delays, saying, “Since I assumed office, we have ensured that salary delays do not exceed three days at most. We have even established a Teachers’ Complaint Commission to address any grievances promptly.”
Addressing the recent delay in December salaries, Fadipe clarified that the issue was not unique to Osun State. “Many states experienced similar delays due to fund transfer challenges. However, Osun was among the first to pay its teachers, ensuring they celebrated the festive season without financial stress,” he said.
On the forthcoming January salary, the SUBEB chairman appealed for patience, explaining that the new system might introduce challenges in its early stages.
Hon. Fadipe also reassured the public of the government’s commitment to improving the education sector in Osun, emphasizing that Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration is focused on rural school development, teacher training, and ensuring a better learning environment for pupils.
