The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has expressed concern over the inadequate funding of public education in the country and called on the Federal and state governments to urgently take concrete action to address the problem.
The union said successive governments have failed to prioritise education, leaving room for private school operators to exploit struggling families while deepening inequality between rich and poor households. NUT raised this concern on Friday in Lagos during the launch of the “Go Public, Fund Education Campaign” in Nigeria, alongside a capacity-building workshop for its leaders from Osun, Edo, and Lagos states.
The event was attended by representatives of the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Teaching Service Commissions (TESCOM), Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA), the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), students, and the media. It was organised in partnership with Education International (EI) and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES).
NUT National President, Audu Titus Amba, said governments must provide quality and inclusive free education for all Nigerian children and should not transfer this responsibility to profit-driven private operators. He explained that the “Go Public, Fund Education” campaign is a global initiative urging governments, intergovernmental bodies, and donor agencies to invest more in teachers and public education systems.
Amba described the current level of government funding as inadequate, pointing to statistics showing Nigeria has 91,232 private primary schools compared to 79,777 public schools. He warned that the unregulated growth of private schools risks turning education into a commodity and excluding vulnerable groups, including rural children and those with disabilities.
He stressed that governments must increase education financing to meet the international benchmark of 6% of GDP and 20% of the national budget while ensuring transparency and accountability in spending.
In a goodwill message, NLC President Joe Ajaero, represented by Deputy President Prince Adeyanju Adewale, condemned the government’s neglect of education, describing it as an act of economic sabotage. He argued that the problem is not lack of resources but lack of political will, urging government to prioritise education as a foundation for national development.
Other speakers, including TRCN Registrar Dr. Ronke Soyombo and EI Africa Regional Director Dr. Dennis Sinyolo, stressed the importance of investing in teachers, providing adequate infrastructure, and ensuring education remains a public good accessible to all.
The Minister of State for Education, represented by the Principal of King’s College, Lagos, Mogaji Zakaria, commended NUT’s commitment to advancing public education and pledged government support for the campaign.
