Teachers’ Day: Oluga Demands Special Pay, Improved Working Conditions

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Taiwo Oluga, has called for a special salary structure and improved welfare package for teachers to restore the dignity of the profession and attract more qualified Nigerians into the classroom.

Oluga made the call on Monday in her message to teachers across the country to mark the 2026 World Teachers’ Day.

She said the development of Nigeria’s education sector could not be separated from the welfare and motivation of teachers, describing them as the backbone of the country’s human capital development.

According to her, teachers deserve a remuneration structure that reflects the demands, responsibilities and importance of their profession to national development.

She urged the Federal Government and other relevant authorities to introduce policies that would make teaching more competitive and attractive to highly talented Nigerians.

Oluga said attracting the best minds into teaching would help improve the quality of learning and ultimately strengthen the country’s human capital base.

She added that improved salaries should be accompanied by better career opportunities, regular professional training and improved working environments.

The APC candidate also called for the full implementation of the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, 2022, which stipulates a retirement age of 65 years or 40 years of pensionable service, whichever comes first.

She stressed that the law should be applied uniformly, saying experienced teachers should be given the opportunity to contribute their knowledge and expertise to the education sector within the period permitted by law.

Oluga noted that recent legal developments had further underscored the need for clarity and consistency in the application of retirement provisions affecting teachers and education officers.

She also called for urgent intervention in the infrastructure deficit confronting many public schools across the country.

According to her, government must provide adequate classrooms, furniture, laboratories, libraries, teaching materials, electricity, water and other basic facilities required for effective teaching and learning.

She said poor infrastructure not only affects teachers but also undermines the ability of students to learn in a safe and conducive environment.

Oluga stressed that investment in teachers and school infrastructure should be treated as an investment in Nigeria’s future, rather than an expenditure.

“Teachers are the foundation upon which every other profession is built. Every doctor, lawyer, engineer, journalist, administrator and leader has passed through the hands of a teacher,” she said.

She added: “We must therefore move beyond celebrating teachers once a year. We must put in place policies that will make teaching a profession of choice for our best minds, reward those already in the profession and provide them with the tools and environment they need to succeed.”

Oluga urged governments at all levels, policymakers, parents and other stakeholders to collaborate in developing policies that would improve the welfare, dignity and professional standing of teachers.

She congratulated Nigerian teachers on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day, assuring them that their contribution to national development remained significant.

World Teachers’ Day is celebrated annually on October 5 to recognise the contributions of teachers and highlight the need for better support and working conditions in the teaching profession. The 2026 observance marks 60 years of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.