The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) has called on the Federal and State Governments to introduce a Special Teachers’ Salary Structure (STSS) to improve the welfare and status of teachers in Nigeria.
The National President of ASUSS, Mr Sola Adigun, made the call in Abuja on Monday at the union’s joint national celebration of World Teachers’ Day.
The event, organised by ASUSS, was held under the theme: “Standing with Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing its Status and Shaping our Futures.”
It also coincided with the union’s 3rd Annual National Workshop, themed “The Impact of Ethics and Attitudinal Change in Managerial Leadership”.
Adigun said the proposed salary structure should reflect the responsibilities and professional demands of teaching while rewarding experience, qualifications and competence.
He said inadequate remuneration and poor working conditions had continued to undermine the attractiveness of the profession and called for measures to make teaching more appealing to young Nigerians.
“Across the federation, the remuneration and conditions of service of teachers do not adequately reflect the enormous responsibilities placed upon these professionals.
“We therefore call for a salary structure that recognises the special nature of teaching as a profession, rewards experience and qualifications, recognises professional competence and provides meaningful opportunities for career progression,” he said.
Adigun also advocated a brain-retention policy to attract and retain qualified professionals in Nigerian classrooms.
He said competitive incentives, continuous professional development and rural posting allowances would help encourage highly qualified graduates to remain in the teaching profession.
The union leader further urged the 36 State Governments to fully implement the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, 2022, without administrative barriers or selective compliance.
He also called on state governments to respect court decisions relating to union representation and work with teachers’ unions to address challenges affecting the education sector.
Adigun advocated improved learning environments in schools, including modern classrooms, functional Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratories, electricity, potable water and well-equipped libraries.
He urged governments to involve teachers in the formulation of education policies and respect court rulings on the right of secondary school teachers to belong to ASUSS.
He also called for regular training, digital skills development and stronger ethical standards among teachers and school managers.
Adigun said annual celebrations and public commendations were insufficient to address the challenges confronting teachers.
He noted that six decades after the 1966 ILO/UNESCO recommendation on the status of teachers, Nigeria still needed to address fundamental issues affecting the profession.
“Every year, we celebrate teachers. We present awards, make speeches, take photographs and publish goodwill messages—and then the celebration ends while the challenges remain.
“Teachers do not need appreciation alone; they need action,” he said.
Adigun described teachers as critical to national development, noting that professionals across various sectors of the economy were products of the education system.
He said investment in teachers was therefore essential to developing Nigeria’s human capital and preparing young people for the future.
The ASUSS president urged teachers to complement their demand for improved welfare by maintaining high ethical standards, embracing digital technology and prioritising the safety and wellbeing of their students.
Also speaking, the President of the FCT chapter of ASUSS, Comrade Julius Ogundiran, commended improvements in teachers’ welfare and access to schools under the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
Ogundiran said poor road networks had previously made it difficult for teachers to access some schools, adding that the situation had improved.
He pledged the commitment of the FCT chapter to supporting efforts to improve teaching and learning across schools in the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory.
