The National Union of Teachers (NUT) disclosed that only 12 out of Nigeria’s 36 states employed new teachers for state-owned primary and secondary schools in 2023, News About Nigeria reports.
The figure, obtained from a document prepared by the union, shows that a total of 23,092 teachers were employed during this period.
The states that took action include Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Kano, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, and Ogun. Leading the recruitment were Anambra with 5,000 new teachers, Borno with 4,000, and Adamawa with 3,020.
Despite these efforts, NUT National President Titus Amba expressed concerns over the persistent shortage of teachers.
He criticised the majority of state governors for disregarding the union’s recommendations to replace retiring teachers promptly.
“Recruitment of teachers lies in the hands of the state governments. A significant number of teachers have left the service, and till now, there is no plan to replace them,” Amba lamented in an interview with The PUNCH.
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) reported that 354,651 teachers are working in early childhood facilities, 915,593 in primary schools, and 416,291 in junior secondary schools.
The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) also voiced its worries about the shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in rural areas where educational inequality is most pronounced.
Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, the TRCN Registrar, highlighted the challenges posed by the surge in school-aged children and the increasing number of schools.
“The availability and quality of qualified teachers are crucial factors in ensuring students receive quality education. However, the shortage of qualified teachers is a concerning issue in Nigeria for several reasons,” Ajiboye stated.
He pointed out that the growing population of schoolchildren, coupled with insufficient recruitment of new teachers, has resulted in an unfavourable teacher-pupil ratio in many schools.
With over 47 million pupils currently enrolled in 171,027 private and public primary and junior secondary schools across the country, the demand for qualified teachers has never been higher.
