The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has revealed an alarming manpower crisis where some primary schools in the country are barely manned by one or two teachers.
The National President of NUT, Audu Amba made this known at the occasion of the 2024 World Teachers’ Day Celebration in Abuja on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this year’s World Teachers Day’s theme is “Valuing Teacher Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education”.
Amba said the manpower crisis had left pupils to suffer learning poverty with a bleak future ahead.
According to him, the situation in Junior and Senior Secondary Schools, especially in rural communities, is worrisome.
“In Nigeria, UBEC (2024) survey indicates that there is a shortage of 194,876 teachers in public primary schools across the country,” he said.
Amba expressed displeasure over the non implementation of some welfare packages for teachers announced by the former President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2020 WTD.
He called on federal and state governments to ensure full implementation of the approved incentives in order to boost the morale of teachers in the discharge of their professional duties.
While congratulating teachers on their courage and sacrifices in the face of daunting challenges, Amba charged them to continue to uphold the ideals of the profession.
The Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, while congratulating teachers for their tireless efforts, assured of government’s support towards teachers empowerment and training in technological skills.
Sununu, who acknowledged the challenges of teachers, pledged the ministry’s commitment to address them.
“The Federal Ministry of Education is fully committed to ensuring that our teachers are empowered and equipped for the task ahead.
“We are working diligently to improve teacher training, professional development, and working conditions across the country,” he said.
The UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, in a message, charged education actors to allow teachers utilise their role as national and community leaders.
NAN reports that the highlights of the celebration was cultural presentations, award presentations to six governors as well as the President’s Teachers and School Excellence Award.
The awards for best governors were given to Kebbi, Borno, Oyo, Benue, Enugu and Kano states governors.
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