The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has called on governments at all levels to increase funding for education, improve teachers’ welfare and strengthen security around schools across the country.
NUT National President, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, made the appeal on Tuesday while speaking at the union’s 59th National Delegates Conference in Enugu, the Enugu State capital.
Amba identified inadequate funding, poor remuneration, teacher shortages, dilapidated infrastructure and insufficient instructional materials among the major challenges confronting Nigeria’s education sector.
He also highlighted insecurity, weak policy implementation and the digital divide as obstacles affecting the delivery of quality education.
Union Seeks Improved Conditions for Teachers
The NUT president urged federal, state and local governments to increase investment in education and ensure the full implementation of approved teachers’ welfare packages.
These include the special salary structure, bursaries, pension arrangements, housing support and loan facilities.
The union’s demands reflect longstanding concerns about the conditions under which teachers work and the resources available to schools to support effective teaching and learning.
Improving teachers’ welfare, the union argues, should go alongside investments in school infrastructure, learning materials and measures to protect pupils, students and education workers from security threats.
Funding and Implementation Remain Key Issues
Increased budgetary allocations alone may not address the challenges facing the sector without effective implementation, transparent spending and accountability for resources committed to education.
The union’s appeal places renewed emphasis on the responsibilities of governments to provide the personnel, facilities and security required for schools to function effectively.