World Teachers’ Day: Union Laments 194,000 Teacher Shortage In Nigeria

As the satellite marked the World Teachers’ Day, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has expressed heavy interest implicit what it described arsenic a worsening situation successful the nation’s acquisition sector, citing an alarming shortage of qualified teachers and unfulfilled authorities promises.

The National President of the NUT, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, spoke astatine the 2025 World Teachers’ Day solemnisation held astatine the Eagle Square successful Abuja, connected Sunday.

He said disposable statistic from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) revealed a shortage of 194,876 teachers successful nationalist superior schools crossed the country.

“It is alarming that Nigeria has a shortage of 194,876 teachers successful nationalist superior schools crossed the country. The concern successful our secondary schools is not encouraging either. This manpower situation has sedate implications for the prime of acquisition and learning outcomes successful our schools,” Amba stated.

He urged each tiers of authorities to code the teacher shortage decisively, informing that it undermines Nigeria’s committedness to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) connected prime acquisition for all.

“We adhd our dependable to the planetary telephone to marque teaching much charismatic to younger generations. Government indispensable employment the close fig and prime of teachers to prolong effectual acquisition transportation successful our schoolhouse system.”

The NUT president besides lamented that, contempt promises made since 2020 to amended teachers’ welfare, galore of the incentives approved by the Federal Government remained unimplemented.

“It is worrisome that isolated from the caller status property of 65 years, which has been implemented by 22 states and the FCT, astir of the approved incentives person not been fulfilled.

“We telephone connected some Federal and State Governments to afloat instrumentality these payment packages to reconstruct dignity and pridefulness to the teaching profession,” helium said.

Amba further criticised the hold successful implementing the 2024 National Minimum Wage for teachers, stating that “as of today, 10 states person not afloat implemented the caller minimum wage for teachers, portion 4 person not implemented it astatine all.”

“We commend the states that person complied, but telephone connected the defaulting ones to enactment swiftly successful the involvement of concern harmony,” helium added.

The World Teachers’ Day, organised nether the taxable “Recasting Teaching As A Collaborative Profession”, volition beryllium followed by the presumption of awards to deserving authorities governors, presumption of trophies to champion March Past, presumption of President’s Teachers and School Excellence Awards, amongst others.