The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to increase investment in education and improve teachers’ welfare, warning that neglecting the teaching profession poses a serious threat to the country’s future.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the appeal during the 2025 World Teachers’ Day celebration in Abuja, where he lamented that teachers remain underpaid and undervalued despite their crucial role in nation building.
Describing teaching as “the queen of all professions,” Ajaero said it continues to suffer from poor remuneration, inadequate working conditions, and a lack of societal respect.
“The paradox is stark: while society heaps praises on teachers, they remain the most neglected and starved profession. Teachers are praised to heaven but starved on earth,” he said.
Ajaero urged the government to meet the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) benchmark, which recommends allocating at least six per cent of a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 20 per cent of public expenditure to education. He noted that Nigeria’s current spending falls far below this target, resulting in teacher shortages and worsening student–teacher ratios.
He also condemned the exploitation of teachers in private schools, many of whom, he said, are denied basic rights, social protection, and fair wages. The NLC leader called on the Ministers of Labour and Education to take concrete steps to ensure that private school teachers are allowed to form and join unions, in accordance with the Nigerian Constitution and International Labour Organisation conventions 87 and 98.
Ajaero warned that the persistent neglect of teachers’ welfare could worsen the brain drain in the education sector, as many educators continue to leave for better opportunities abroad or in other professions.
“You cannot give what you do not have. Teachers who are not adequately trained, motivated, and supported cannot be expected to deliver quality education. If we continue on this path, the future of our children and indeed the country is at stake,” he cautioned.
He further called for the establishment of a national framework to train unqualified teachers, enhance professional development, and address the high pupil-to-teacher ratios, which in many schools exceed global standards.
World Teachers’ Day 2025 was celebrated under the theme “The Teachers We Need for the Education We Want: The Global Imperative to Reverse Teacher Shortages,” which Ajaero said was particularly relevant for Nigeria, where teacher shortages remain critical.
He urged all tiers of government to demonstrate genuine political will by prioritising teachers’ welfare, stressing that quality education begins with motivated and well-supported teachers.
