World Teachers’ Day: NLC Pushes for Fair Compensation and Greater Support for Nigeria’s Education Sector

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which has warned that the country’s future is seriously threatened by the continuous neglect of the teaching profession, has urged the Federal Government to greatly expand education funding and enhance the welfare of teachers nationwide.

At the World Teachers’ Day celebration in Abuja, NLC President Joe Ajaero made the plea, calling teachers the “queens of all professions” who still face low wages, unfavorable working conditions, and disrespect while playing a crucial part in the development of their country.

“The paradox is stark: teachers continue to be the most underappreciated and undernourished profession despite society’s lavish praise for them,” Ajaero stated.

“Educators receive acclaim in heaven but starvation on earth.”

Ajaero asked the Federal Government to adhere to the UNESCO standard, which states that nations should devote at least 20% of their public spending and 6% of their GDP to education.

Nigeria’s present investment, he said, is considerably below this level, which results in a teacher shortage, packed classrooms, and deteriorating educational standards.

He claimed that the lack of teaching aids, the terrible working conditions for teachers, and the overall decline in teacher morale are all consequences of our impoverished educational system.

According to reports, the president of the NLC emphasized that the development of human capital, which starts with highly qualified and driven teachers, is just as important as increasing infrastructure investment in education.

Additionally, he denounced the abuse of private school instructors, many of whom he claimed were underpaid, overworked, and denied basic labor rights including union representation, social protection, and pensions.

He urged the Education and Labour Ministers to implement legislation that ensures private school teachers have the ability to organize and join unions in accordance with the Nigerian Constitution and the Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

“Some of the most exploited workers in this country are teachers in private schools,” Ajaero stated.

“They must be safeguarded by the same laws that apply to all Filipino workers.”

Teachers are leaving the field in large numbers for higher-paying positions overseas or in other industries, the labor leader said, citing a lack of adequate compensation and professional support as the main causes.

“You can’t give what you lack.” Ajaero stated that it is impossible to expect teachers to provide high-quality instruction if they are not sufficiently supported, encouraged, and taught.

“The future of the nation and our children is in jeopardy if we keep going in this direction.”

He advocated for the creation of a national framework to retrain underqualified educators, encourage ongoing professional development, and lower the high student-teacher ratio in the nation—which, he claimed, is significantly higher than international norms in many public institutions.

With the global theme “The Teachers We Need for the Education We Want: The Global Imperative to Reverse Teacher Shortages,” this year’s World Teachers’ Day was celebrated.

“The theme is especially pertinent to Nigeria, where there is a severe teacher shortage in many schools, particularly in rural and underserved areas,” Ajaero added.

To revitalize Nigeria’s educational system, he called on all tiers of government to show political will by giving teachers’ welfare, frequent training, and on-time salary payments a priority as part of larger reforms.

“Endowing educators is an investment in the future. He said, “No nation can surpass the caliber of its educators.”