As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 2025 World Teachers’ Day, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and education experts expressed deep concern over the worsening state of the country’s education sector, citing an acute shortage of qualified teachers, poor welfare conditions, and inadequate funding.
Speaking at the celebration held at Eagle Square, Abuja, the NUT National President, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, said statistics from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) showed that public primary schools across the country face a shortfall of 194,876 teachers.
It will be recalled that during the 2022 edition of World Teachers’ Day, the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay, disclosed that the world would need 69 million new teachers by 2030 to achieve universal basic education.
‘It is alarming that Nigeria has a shortage of 194,876 teachers in public primary schools across the country. The situation in our secondary schools is not encouraging either. This manpower crisis has grave implications for the quality of education and learning outcomes in our schools,’ Amba said.
He warned that the acute shortage undermines Nigeria’s efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on inclusive and equitable quality education and urged all tiers of government to act decisively.
‘We add our voice to the global call to make teaching more attractive to younger generations. Government must employ the right number and quality of teachers to sustain effective education delivery in our school system,’ he added.
Pledges on teachers’ welfare unfulfilled
Amba also expressed frustration over unfulfilled promises to improve teachers’ welfare, despite commitments made since 2020. He recalled that the federal government, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, approved several incentives – including a special salary scale, harmonised retirement age, and low-cost housing for rural teachers – but lamented that many remain unimplemented.
‘It is worrisome that apart from the new retirement age of 65 years, which has been implemented by 22 states and the FCT, most of the approved incentives have not been fulfilled. We call on both federal and state governments to fully implement these welfare packages to restore dignity and pride to the teaching profession,’ he said.
On the implementation of the 2024 National Minimum Wage, the NUT President revealed that ten states had not fully implemented the new wage, while four were yet to begin.
The union also raised concerns about poor education funding, noting that Nigeria continues to fall below international standards recommending that countries allocate 4-6% of GDP or 15-20% of total public expenditure to education.
Amba disclosed that as of March 2024, about N54 billion in matching grants from the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme remained unaccessed by some states and the FCT due to failure to meet counterpart funding requirements.
‘The inability of states to draw down these funds has further crippled efforts to strengthen the basic education sub-sector and improve teaching conditions,’ he said.
The NUT also condemned the recent move by the Edo State Government to hand over some public schools to private institutions and voluntary agencies, describing it as a step that undermines the principles of free and universal education.
The union said such actions threaten accessibility and equity, particularly for vulnerable groups such as girls, children with disabilities, and those in rural areas.
It called on the Edo State Government to reverse the policy and uphold its constitutional obligation to provide inclusive and equitable education.
The union also reiterated the importance of teacher welfare, referencing a 2008 ILO/UNESCO report that highlights teachers’ well-being as key to attracting and retaining qualified professionals.
Teachers’ pay not encouraging
Mr. Bobby Winful of Federal Government Boys College, Abuja, attributed the shortage of teachers to several factors, including poor welfare packages and a declining number of certified teachers entering the profession.
‘We are having this shortage because the welfare package is not encouraging. The salaries are not forthcoming. Just imagine teachers going to work for three years without salaries. And we have a decreased number of qualified and certified teachers as most students avoid studying education in the university, and that’s because they are aware of the poor working conditions, welfare package and salaries,’ he said.
The Director of Chalcedony Group of Schools, Dr. Mary Chinwuba, attributed the worsening shortage of teachers in the country to burnout and poor working conditions, calling for urgent measures to improve teachers’ welfare.
‘We are facing acute shortages because teachers are burning out easily due to low pay and high attrition rates. To address this, salaries should be increased alongside improved working conditions and adequate support. There should also be deliberate efforts to recruit more teachers into training programmes and retain experienced staff through better policies, enhanced professional autonomy, and a more positive school environment,’ she said.
The Director of Tekash Group of Schools, Abuja, Mrs. Adadazu Nengi, blamed the situation on the influx of unqualified and disinterested individuals into the teaching profession.
‘The teaching profession has this shortage because people are not interested in the job. Even those in it are there because of a lack of jobs. Most are not qualified to teach. Also, those who are qualified don’t want to teach because the pay is poor, coupled with the poor economy. Most have gone the route of japa after obtaining the necessary teaching qualification,’ she said.
Similarly, Ms. Adaora Nwafor of Funtaj International School observed that the teaching profession has lost its prestige, as many people feel reluctant to identify as teachers due to the low pay and poor perception of the job.
‘Teachers are faced with poor numeration as they go home with peanuts. To bridge this gap, teachers should have health insurance scheme, housing allowance and other incentives. It is said our reward is in heaven, but it will be nice to enjoy the reward on earth. What if a teacher doesn’t make it to heaven? At least he should enjoy it on earth. We are nation builders and we should be paid well,’ she said.
Govt urges teachers to collaborate
In his keynote address, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, reaffirmed the government’s recognition of teachers as the foundation of national progress.
‘Teachers remain the bedrock of human capital development and the cornerstone of national progress. Rewarding teachers is not just an act of recognition-it is an investment in quality education, student achievement, and the future of our nation,’ Dr. Alausa said.
Dr. Alausa outlined several reforms aimed at revitalising the profession, including the National Teacher Policy, TRCN’s regulatory oversight, NTI’s continuous professional development, and UBEC’s capacity-building initiatives.
‘The ministry is leveraging ICT to connect teachers across states and provide access to global best practices. Peer support structures are being encouraged nationwide to promote shared learning and innovation,’ he said.
Dr. Alausa urged teacher unions, parents, community leaders, and development partners to work together to achieve the goals of the Education for Renewed Hope Agenda and SDG 4.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, highlighted ongoing government efforts to enhance the teaching profession through digital literacy initiatives and professional learning communities.
‘The realities of modern education demand that teachers work together-sharing expertise, supporting one another, and learning collectively,’ she said.
Similarly, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, called for renewed efforts to support teachers through professional development and policy implementation.
‘When Nigerian teachers collaborate and thrive, our children learn better, our schools become stronger, and our nation is assured of a brighter future,’ he said.
4 govs honoured for improving teachers’ welfare
Meanwhile, four governors were honoured for their exceptional contributions to improving teacher welfare and education delivery in their respective states.
The award ceremony, held at Eagle Square, Abuja, recognised the Governors of Katsina, Adamawa, Kogi, and Delta States for implementing teacher-friendly policies, expanding access to education, and enhancing the teaching and learning environment.
In Katsina State, Governor Dikko Umar Radda was celebrated for recruiting 7,325 teachers to bridge manpower gaps in schools, approving and implementing a N70,000 minimum wage, and constructing over 3,000 classrooms and staff quarters in hard-to-reach areas.
In Adamawa State, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri was recognised for employing 5,000 teachers, constructing model schools across all 21 local government areas, and renovating an additional 6,000 classrooms.
The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, also received accolades for acceding to teachers’ long-standing demand for 100% salary payment and promptly implementing a N72,500 minimum wage since October 2024.
His administration appointed classroom teachers as education secretaries and permanent secretaries, and rehabilitated over 4,000 classrooms across the 21 LGAs.
Similarly, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, was honoured for his administration’s remarkable progress under the M.O.R.E. Agenda, including the full implementation of the national minimum wage, unconditional approval of teachers’ retirement age extension, and recruitment of 5,000 teachers between 2022 and 2023.
The state was also commended for the prompt promotion and regular salary payment of teachers and the appointment of qualified principals as permanent secretaries.