Nigeria’s education sector is struggling to meet national development targets as unpaid salaries and frequent strike actions continue to disrupt teaching and learning across the country. While the federal government has continued to promise reforms and improved funding, the reality faced by teachers, lecturers, and students tells a different story of frustration, neglect, and setbacks.
In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, primary school teachers recently stayed away from classrooms for more than three months due to unpaid salaries and arrears. Many teachers were left stranded, unable to meet family needs or even pay school fees for their own children. The strike, which left thousands of pupils idle, highlighted the poor treatment of educators despite the government’s claim of prioritising basic education.
The situation is not different in Abia State, where teachers under Governor Alex Otti’s administration declared an indefinite strike on April 24. Their demands include payment of several months of salaries, settlement of promotion arrears, inclusion in the new minimum wage structure, and an end to what they described as irregular retirements and promotions by the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB). The indefinite strike has paralysed schools across the state, leaving parents and students worried about the lost time.
In Taraba State, teachers say they are owed up to four months of salaries, while in many other states, payment of the newly announced N70,000 minimum wage is still pending. Reports suggest that at least 20 state governments have not implemented the new wage, creating tension between teachers and their employers.
Nigeria’s higher education sector is also under pressure. The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has declared an indefinite strike after its members were denied salaries for eight consecutive months. Their demands go beyond unpaid wages, as they are also pushing for the payment of 25% and 35% increments and a 40% peculiar allowance promised by the government.
At the federal universities, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned of fresh strikes if the government fails to meet the union’s long-standing demands. Professor Chris Piwuna, President of ASUU, reminded the government that the 2009 agreement remains unfulfilled. The agreement covered sustainable funding of universities, respect for university autonomy, improved working conditions, and earned academic allowances. According to him, continuous neglect of these issues shows that the government has little regard for higher education.
Education stakeholders are raising alarm about the continued crisis. Jessica Osuere, Chief Executive Officer of RubiesHub Educational Services, said Nigeria appears to be in “perpetual conflict” with its educators. According to her, it is impossible to achieve transformation when teachers and lecturers are consistently demoralised. “When polytechnic lecturers down tools, ASUU threatens strike, and teachers at the state level go unpaid, then we must ask: what kind of education transformation is possible in such an environment?” she said.
She added that good policies cannot succeed without investing in teacher welfare, dignity, and training. “You cannot inspire excellence in students when their teachers are underpaid, overworked, and disrespected,” she noted.
Dr. Stanley Boroh, a senior lecturer at the Federal University Otuoke, said the current situation should be a wake-up call. “No serious country jokes with its teachers. Unfortunately, our leaders have abandoned education because their children are studying abroad,” he said.
Meanwhile, some parents and citizens are calling for accountability within institutions. Friday Erhabor, a parent and education advocate, argued that while the government has a duty to fund schools, universities and colleges must also use resources wisely. He said: “ASUU cannot just be issuing threats all the time. Even when funds are released, there are questions about how those funds are used.”
For many Nigerians, the crisis reveals a gap between government promises and the reality of classrooms. With frequent strikes, unpaid salaries, and deteriorating infrastructure, pupils and students are losing valuable learning time. The popular phrase among youths that “school na scam” reflects their growing frustration with a system that fails to value knowledge and those who impart it.
Unless urgent action is taken to clear outstanding salaries, honour allowances, and invest in teacher motivation, Nigeria’s dream of building a strong education system will remain far from reality. Stakeholders say that without dedicated teachers, no amount of policy statements will deliver the quality, access, and equity needed for national development.
