Nigerian Teachers Speak Out: What They Really Want Beyond World Teachers’ Day

World Teachers’ Day on Monday, October 5, gave some Nigerian teachers a rare break from the classroom. Oyo, Kwara, and Ekiti states declared the day work-free for teachers, allowing them to join activities marking the occasion. But the celebration followed a turbulent period for educators in several parts of the country, and for many, the day off did little to resolve the challenges they face.

A Year of Disruption and Unresolved Grievances

In Oyo State, teachers had already stopped going to work earlier in the year. On June 1, the Nigeria Union of Teachers directed public primary and secondary school teachers to begin an indefinite strike after 39 pupils and seven teachers were abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area. The union demanded the rescue of those still in captivity and improved security around schools. The strike was suspended on July 1 following discussions with the state government and assurances on security.

In Abuja, the dispute centred on different issues. On September 8, 2026, the Nigeria Labour Congress’ FCT council issued a seven-day ultimatum to the FCT Administration over unresolved matters affecting teachers, including the use of a vacancy requirement for promotion. The union said the policy was causing career stagnation and warned that failure to resolve the issues could lead to an indefinite strike.

The Scale of the Teaching Workforce

The numbers underline how significant the teaching population is. The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria currently lists about 1.63 million certified teachers on its national register, with women making up 59.2% of that workforce. Yet UNESCO estimates that the world will need 44 million additional primary and secondary teachers by 2030, with about 15 million of them needed in sub-Saharan Africa.

So while some teachers enjoyed a day off and governments celebrated their contribution to education, teachers across Nigeria continue to grapple with questions about safety, pay, promotion, workload, staffing, and working conditions. We asked teachers in private and public schools what the job really looks like from their side of the classroom and what they want the government to change.

Voices from the Classroom

Victor*, 29, Oyo State

Victor joined the Oyo State teaching service through the Oyo State Post Primary Schools Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) in 2022. He was excited because he actually wanted to teach, and getting a government job at his age felt like a big deal. But after settling in, he realised that being employed and having the support to do the work are two different things.

“There are times I have had to find my own way around basic things in the classroom because what we need is not always available,” he said. The salary is another issue. “When your income is not enough to cover your daily expenses, it becomes difficult to remain motivated, especially when you know how much work goes into what you do in the classroom.”

Victor does not expect everything to change overnight, but he believes young teachers need to feel there is a future in the profession. “If the government wants us to stay, there should be proper welfare, training and better conditions for us to work.”

Joshua*, 34, Rivers State

Joshua teaches in a secondary school and acknowledges that the government is trying, but insists it must do better on classroom population, teachers’ welfare, and facilities. “These are the things that hinder progress in our education system,” he said.

For him, welfare is fundamental. “If the teacher does not have food at home, how will the teacher be comfortable enough to come to school and teach? These are the things that we really need to pay attention to.”

He also wants regular training for teachers. “Curricula all over the world are changing, and now AI is part of the learning system in the Western world. So, I think we should also adopt that into our educational system.”

Malik, 36, Oyo State

Malik believes the government has done relatively well with regular salary payments in his state, though the amount is still not enough for the work teachers do. He compared the current minimum wage with what workers could afford under the previous minimum wage and concluded that things have become more difficult. “The increase in income has not matched the increase in the cost of living,” he said.

Another concern is the constant changes to the education system. Subjects are being merged and separated, while new schemes of work and syllabuses keep coming. Social Studies and Civic Education, for instance, have now been merged into Social and Civic Education in junior secondary schools, while Basic Science, Basic Technology and other subjects have also been affected by the new curriculum. Teachers are expected to keep adjusting.

Discipline is another major problem. Teachers have been restricted in how they can discipline students, which has affected their authority in the classroom. Malik recalled the case of a teacher who was killed by students after trying to correct one of them. “Situations like that show how vulnerable teachers can become when they are expected to control a classroom but have very little authority to deal with serious indiscipline,” he said. He called for clear rules that protect students from abuse while also giving teachers reasonable authority to maintain order.

Malik also pointed out that teachers are facing a lot, especially when comparing their earnings with their responsibilities. “In countries such as Canada, teaching is regarded as a well-paid profession, but here many teachers remain in the profession mainly because they are passionate about it. It is also common to see teachers taking loans to survive until their next salary.” He urged the government to review policies affecting teachers and improve their pay significantly. “Teachers are the ones who train the doctors, lawyers, engineers and other professionals who eventually run the country, so we deserve to be properly compensated for the work we do.”

Omolola, 34, Lagos State

For Omolola, one of the hardest parts of primary school teaching is the amount of work that happens outside the classroom. She teaches during the day, marks assignments afterwards, prepares for the next lessons, and still has school activities to deal with. “Sometimes, I get home and realise that I have spent most of the day working, but there is still something waiting for me to finish.”

She wants teachers to have enough support to do their jobs properly. “When a teacher is thinking about not being paid well or working with scarce academic materials, it affects the job. We need better welfare and more opportunities to improve ourselves professionally.” Omolola wants teaching to be a career she can grow in, rather than something to endure until another opportunity comes along.

Segun*, 37, Ondo State

Segun has spent many years in the classroom and has seen teachers enter the profession with enthusiasm, only to gradually lose it. “You start with the excitement of teaching children, then reality sets in. There are times when salaries are delayed, promotions take too long to reflect financially, and you have to work with things that should have been provided by the school or government.”

What worries him most is the effect on younger teachers. “If someone enters the profession today and spends the next few years struggling with the same problems, they will eventually start looking elsewhere. Teachers need to know that their experience counts for something. There should be proper promotion, regular training, and better pay as they progress.”

He added: “After Teachers’ Day is over, these are the things we still have to deal with when we return to school.”

Ekaette, 34, Abuja

Ekaette has often used her own money to get things for her students, sometimes something as small as materials they need for class activities. “You do it because you don’t want the children to miss out. You don’t necessarily tell anyone that you paid for it yourself. You just do what you can and move on.”

She also believes teachers need more support when dealing with students who have medical conditions or children who come to school carrying problems from home. “The teacher is often the person who deals with these things every day. We try to help, but there should be proper systems in schools for this. Teachers cannot keep dealing with these issues with their own time, money and energy.”

Oluwagbemiga, 32, Ogun State

Oluwagbemiga teaches in a public secondary school and has noticed some students losing interest in school. He recalled a group of students who were always talking about making money through internet fraud. “They weren’t bad students, but they had become convinced that spending years in school would not give them the kind of life they wanted. They would talk about how some of their peers were already making money and had stopped coming to school.”

He understood where some of these children were coming from. “They see what is happening around them, and they also see how teachers are treated. When a teacher is poorly paid, struggling with basic expenses, and still expected to come to class every day with enthusiasm, the students will surely notice. You cannot tell a child that education is the best investment in their future when the people teaching them are visibly struggling to make a living.”

Oluwagbemiga does not blame the students for losing interest. “Some of them need something that makes education feel worthwhile again. They need teachers who are motivated, classrooms where they can actually learn and examples of people who have gone through school and built decent lives. If we keep allowing the education system to deteriorate, we should not be surprised when young people start looking for other ways to survive.”

What Teachers Want

Across the testimonies, several common demands emerge. Teachers are calling for improved welfare, including salaries that match the cost of living. They want regular training and professional development opportunities. They seek clear promotion pathways and timely financial recognition of advancement. They need better security and protection, both in schools and in the classroom. They also want adequate teaching materials and facilities, and support systems for students with special needs.

As another World Teachers’ Day passes, the celebration may be over, but the work of addressing these issues continues. For the teachers who shared their experiences, the day off was welcome, but what they truly seek is lasting change that makes the profession sustainable and respected.