Stakeholders Seek Improved Conditions As World Marks Teachers’ Day

Nigerian teachers have called for improved welfare, continuous professional development and stronger policy support at World Teachers’ Day holding today.

The annual event, organised by UNESCO, celebrates teachers worldwide and highlights the need to recognise, support and improve the teaching profession.

The 2026 celebration is being held under the theme, “Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures.”

In an interview with LEADERSHIP, the principal secretary of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Ogun State chapter, Mr Samson Oyelere, called for the institutionalisation of continuous professional development for teachers.

Oyelere said teachers must be adequately equipped to respond to changing educational and technological demands, stressing that regular training was essential to improving the quality of teaching and learning.

Also, an Abuja-based teacher, Mrs Jennifer Igba, called for improved welfare and better working conditions, saying teachers needed stronger institutional support to remain motivated and effective.

“Teachers are at the heart of the education system, and we cannot continue to expect quality results without giving them the welfare and working conditions they deserve.

This year’s observance is particularly significant as it marks the 60th anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Teachers, an international framework that established standards on teachers’ rights and responsibilities, preparation, recruitment, employment and working conditions.

demands, stressing that regular training was essential to improving the quality of teaching and learning.

He also called for full autonomy and adequate funding for regulatory bodies in the education sector, along with a sustainable welfare package for teachers.

According to him, such a welfare package should include housing, health insurance and a dignified pension system to provide teachers with greater security during and after their years of service.

“Teachers give their best when they have the right environment and the assurance that their welfare is being taken seriously. Housing, healthcare and a dignified pension should be part of a sustainable welfare package for teachers,” Oyelere said.

He further called for continuity in education policies, arguing that frequent government changes should not disrupt long-term plans for the sector.

“Above all, we must entrench continuity in policy, depoliticise education, and ensure that every child, regardless of location or background, has access to quality and functional education that prepares them for the future of work,” he said.

Meanwhile, some states have announced measures to enable teachers to participate in activities marking the global observance.

In Ekiti State, the government has declared today, Monday, October 5, a work-free day for teachers to enable them to participate in World Teachers’ Day celebrations.

The State Commissioner for Education, Dr Adebimpe Aderiye, announced the decision while commending teachers for their contributions to the development of education and the future of children in the state.

The gesture, according to the state government, is in recognition of the dedication of teachers across all levels of education.

Similarly, the Akwa Ibom State Government, in collaboration with the NUT, Akwa Ibom State Wing, has declared 5 October a teaching-free day to enable teachers to participate in activities marking the 2026 World Teachers’ Day, amongst other states.

Also speaking, an Abuja-based teacher, Mrs Jennifer Igba, also called for improved welfare and better working conditions, saying teachers needed stronger institutional support to remain motivated and effective.

“Teachers are at the heart of the education system, and we cannot continue to expect quality results without giving them the welfare and working conditions they deserve.

“Better remuneration, access to training, healthcare and improved working environments will go a long way in motivating teachers,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Union also confirmed to LEADERSHIP that the event will be held in Abuja on Monday at 10am at Eagle Square.