*The Nigerian Union of Teachers, on the occasion of the commemoration of the 2024 World Teachers鈥� Day celebration, bemoans an alarming manpower crisis in several schools in the educational system, urging the Federal and state governments to ensure full implementation of approved incentives to boost teachers鈥� morale in the discharge of their professional duties

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

As the country鈥檚 instructors join the counterparts across the globe to commemorate the 2024 World Teachers鈥� Day (WTD) celebration, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has revealed an alarming manpower crisis where some primary schools are barely administered by only one or two teachers in the educational system.

绿帽献妻 reports the 2024 World Teachers Day鈥檚 theme is 鈥淰aluing Teacher Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education鈥�.

Audu Amba, National President of NUT, who disclosed this development on the occasion of this year鈥檚 World Teachers鈥� Day celebration at the weekend in Abuja, FCT, said the manpower crisis had left millions of school pupils to suffer learning poverty with a bleak future ahead.

Amba noted that the situation in Junior and Senior Secondary Schools, especially in rural communities in Nigeria, is equally worrisome.

The President of NUT reportedly stated: 鈥淚n Nigeria, UBEC (2024) survey indicates that there is a shortage of 194, 876 teachers in public primary schools across the country.鈥�

The Union also expressed displeasure over the non-implementation of some welfare packages for teachers, earlier announced by former President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2020 WTD.

What Federal and State Governments should do, by NUT

In correcting the identified rot in the school system, the President of NUT urged the Federal and state governments to ensure full implementation of the approved incentives to boost the morale of teachers in the discharge of their professional duties, agency report said.

Congratulating teachers on their courage and sacrifices in the face of daunting challenges in Nigeria, Amba however, charged them to continue to uphold the ideals of the profession.

In his message on the 2024 WTD, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, Honourable Minister of State for Education, while congratulating teachers on their tireless efforts also assured them of the government鈥檚 support in the areas of empowerment and training in technological skills.

Dr. Sununu equally acknowledged the challenges of teachers, pledged the Ministry鈥檚 commitment to address them, report noted.

The Minister stated: 鈥淭he Federal Ministry of Education is fully committed to ensuring that our teachers are empowered and equipped for the task ahead.

鈥淲e are working diligently to improve teacher training, professional development, and working conditions across the country.鈥�

In a solidarity message also, Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, charged educationists to allow teachers to perform their role as national and community leaders.

Highlights of the celebration were cultural presentations, award presentations to six governors, as well as the President鈥檚 Teachers and School Excellence Awards.

The awards for best governors were given to Kebbi, Borno, Oyo, Benue, Enugu and Kano states governors.

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