A dedicated National Commission for recruiting would be able to fill the staffing gap, according to the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), which on Sunday estimated that there was a nationwide lack of more than 194,876 teachers.
As it observed 2025 World Teachers’ Day alongside other countries, it had the chance to express serious concerns about the dire shortage of teachers in primary and secondary schools across the country.
These shortcomings were highlighted by NUT President Comrade Titus Amba during the day’s events in Eagle Square, Abuja.
Speaking on the theme of 2025 World Teachers’ Day, “Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession,” Amba urged state and federal governments to never overlook the predicament of teaching professionals, emphasizing that society will benefit from the implementation of strong welfare packages and an improved pay structure for primary and secondary school teachers nationwide.
Amba also bemoaned the unwillingness of certain state governments to enact the new national minimum wage of N70,000 that the federal government has approved.
Using the 2025 celebration, he urged all levels of government to make sure that the proper quantity and caliber of teachers are hired in order to support efficient education delivery and enhance learning results in the country’s educational system.
Despite the well-established fact that teachers are the lifeblood of any educational system, Amba contends that the low status of teachers and the unfavorable working conditions they endure are extremely detrimental to the full realization of educational goals and objectives.
In order to lure new generations to the teaching profession, he advocated for better teacher welfare and compensation, as well as the establishment of National Commissions to address teacher shortages.
In order to address the teacher shortage and draw and keep educators in the field, he said, “teacher well-being is essential.” It is also essential to achieving everyone’s entitlement to high-quality education.
In order to reposition the education sector for better service delivery in the nation, the Federal Government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, approved some welfare packages for teachers in recognition of the low status of teachers and the unfavorable working conditions they endure. Among the authorized incentives are a standardized retirement age of 65 and 40 years of service for educators, as well as a unique pay structure for basic and secondary school teachers.
Reintroducing bursary awards for university and college education students; constructing affordable housing for teachers in rural areas; offering loan options for housing, cars, motorcycles, and other items to supplement teachers’ incomes; and offering free tuition and automatic admission to biological children of teachers.
It is concerning to observe that the majority of the 2020 approvals have not yet been put into effect, with the exception of the new retirement age for teachers, which has been implemented by 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“In order to support teachers’ efficacy and high-quality learning outcomes in our educational system, we hereby call on the federal and state governments to ensure full implementation of these approved incentives,” he said.
Regarding the teacher shortage, the president of NUT maintained that Nigeria’s efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) by 2030 will be hampered if the severe problem is not addressed.
He stated: “The lack of instructors has grown to be a significant issue for educational systems worldwide, directly affecting the standard of education. According to UNESCO’s Global Reports on Teachers and Early Childhood Care and Education (2024), in order to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) by 2030, there will be a shortage of at least 6 million pre-primary education teachers and around 44 million primary and secondary education teachers.
According to current data, primary and secondary schools in Nigeria, particularly those in rural regions, are experiencing a severe manpower shortage. There is a shortage of 194,876 teachers in public primary schools nationwide, according to UBEC (2024).
Additionally unimpressive is the state of affairs in the secondary education sub-sector. The nation’s commitment to providing high-quality education for everyone in accordance with SDG 4 is undermined by the lack of teachers in our schools,” he said.
The elimination of the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) from the Federal Government’s yearly budgetary allotment was also criticized by the president of NUT.
In order to provide the necessary empowerment and support for the TRCN to strengthen the teaching profession for greater service delivery and productivity, he urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reexamine the issue of delisting the TRCN among other regulatory bodies from government funding and to make sure the Council benefits from the national budget.
He cautioned against the commercialization and privatization of education in Nigeria, stating that it is concerning that certain governments are implementing policies that support these practices by turning over schools to missions and nonprofit organizations instead of constructing and maintaining public schools that would offer the necessary access and serve the needs of all children, including the less fortunate and the vulnerable, particularly girls, children with disabilities, and those residing in rural areas.
It is crucial to emphasize that any form of education privatization leads to socioeconomic inequality and differences in educational possibilities, which in turn undermines our national commitment to universal, free, and compulsory basic education for all.
“Therefore, the NUT disapproves of the Edo State government’s recent transfer of some schools to missions and urges the government to reverse its decision and fulfill its duty to provide inclusive, equitable, high-quality education for all children in the state,” Amba said.
In his remarks, Education Minister Dr. Olatunji Alausa emphasized the Federal Government’s commitment to teacher welfare while recognizing the critical role educators play in promoting education for sustainable development.
In his renewed hope agenda, he reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to provide teachers better treatment, arguing that teacher rewards are an investment in high-quality education, student success, and national advancement.
According to him, this year’s theme, “Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession,” is highly relevant to Nigeria’s education reform agenda. He revealed that his ministry has implemented a number of policies to revitalize the teaching profession, such as the National Teacher Policy, which guarantees that educators are motivated and empowered in their work.
