The Taraba State Universal Basic Education Board (TSUBEB) has moved to quell growing disquiet over a ₦5,000 deduction from primary school teachers’ salaries, confirming the levy is for the production of permanent identity cards.
Concerns had mounted across social media after educators noticed the deduction from their pay and arrears, with some questioning its legality and authorisation. However, TSUBEB has now stepped forward with a formal explanation, insisting the charge is both legitimate and necessary.
In an official statement, the Board’s Public Relations Department clarified that the initiative is part of a broader strategy to create a robust and reliable identification system for teaching staff across the state. According to TSUBEB, the project was not implemented unilaterally; it followed consultations with the Taraba State Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), which gave its backing to the plan.
TSUBEB outlined the multifold benefits of the new identification cards, noting they would provide every teacher with an official means of identification, bolster personnel records, and enhance both security and administrative efficiency within the basic education sector. The Board added that the exercise aligns with Governor Agbu Kefas’s administration’s goal of cultivating an accurate and verifiable database of state employees.
The cards, TSUBEB added, will incorporate modern security features to improve accountability and personnel management.
The Board vehemently refuted insinuations that the deduction was linked to any loan scheme or alternative financial obligation, reiterating that the ₦5,000 is ring-fenced for the identity card project. TSUBEB also counselled teachers and the public to verify information through official channels before propagating claims on social media, reaffirming its commitment to transparency and the welfare of its staff.
This clarification arrives amidst heightened public sensitivity over wage deductions in Taraba. Earlier this year, the state government similarly clarified a ₦3,000 deduction from civil servants’ January salaries, explaining that was for the production of Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER) forms.