The Nigerian Government has pledged to introduce improved welfare packages for teachers across Nigeria to strengthen their role in nation-building.
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, gave the assurance at a symposium in Abuja to mark the 2025 World Teachers’ Day with the theme “Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession.”
Dr. Alausa acknowledged that teachers work tirelessly to meet the moral and educational needs of learners but are not adequately cared for.
He assured them of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s support, promising that new welfare measures will soon be unveiled.
“You educate the society and I know as a government, you are not commended enough, you are not cared for enough. Your welfare is not what it should be, but I can tell you today, you have a president in the person of Bola Tinubu that has your back. Light is at the end of the tunnel.
“We’re working assiduously to come up with better packages for you. Because you are the one keeping our country alive. Who makes a doctor? Who makes an engineer? Who makes a professor? It is the teacher,” Dr. Alausa said.
He stressed that the Ministry’s mandate under President Tinubu is to ensure every Nigerian child receives high-quality education, which can only be achieved through well-trained and supported teachers.
“When you want the highest quality of education, what do you need? A high-quality teacher. And when you want a high-quality teacher, what should you do? Give them the recognition, the support, the training, and the cooperation that they need to educate a child,” he explained.
The Minister commended the Chief Executive Officer of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Dr. Ronke Soyombo for her reforms in professionalising the teaching profession.
He said the 2025 theme compels reflection on strengthening teaching as a collaborative profession, noting that challenges such as rapid technological change and equity gaps require teamwork, not isolation.
“Collaboration among teachers transforms the profession from a solitary task into a dynamic community of practice. It allows teachers to share knowledge, mentor one another, jointly solve problems, and sustain continued growth,” he said.
Dr. Alausa stated that the Federal Ministry of Education is creating structures to promote collaboration, mentorship, and digital resource-sharing across schools.
He also urged teachers to take pride in their work, pointing to the global success of Nigerian students as proof of their impact.
The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, noted that collaboration makes teaching more effective.
“When a teacher knows, the students learn better. It makes classroom engagement easy and increases teachers’ morale,” she said.
The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, described teaching as “the most important and best profession in the country.”
TRCN Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ronke Soyombo encouraged teachers to embrace collaboration, particularly on digital platforms, to improve impact.
One of the participants, Ibrahim Abubakar said the symposium inspired him to apply new knowledge and share experiences with colleagues for the benefit of learners.
The grand commemoration of the 2025 World Teachers’ Day holds on Sunday, 5 October. Proclaimed by UNESCO and the ILO in 1994, the day is set aside globally to celebrate teachers and address their challenges.
PIAK