NUT decries shortage of teachers in schools

The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, has lamented adequate manpower in public primary schools across the country.

The National President of NUT, Audu Amba made this known at the occasion of the 2024 World Teachers’ Day Celebration on Saturday in Abuja, adding that some primary schools are barely manned by one or two teachers.

The theme for 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.

He added that 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.

He 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.