The Nigeria Union of Teachers has expressed concern over the Federal Government’s failure to implement a special salary scale approved for teachers in basic and secondary schools.
The NUT National Deputy President, Kizito Kalu, raised the concern on Monday in Abuja while delivering the union’s 2026 World Teachers’ Day address at Eagle Square.
Kalu said the special salary scale was approved in 2022 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari alongside other welfare packages for teachers.
He said four years after the approval, implementation of the new salary structure had yet to begin.
The NUT official called on the government to commence the implementation process, arguing that improved remuneration would boost teachers’ morale and enhance the dignity of the profession.
“Teachers must receive remuneration that reflects the importance of their responsibilities and the prevailing economic realities in the country,” Kalu said.
He also called for better working conditions for teachers, citing overcrowded classrooms, inadequate furniture and insufficient instructional materials as some of the challenges affecting the profession.
The union urged the government to address these challenges to enable teachers to perform their duties effectively.
The 2026 World Teachers’ Day theme is “Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing the status and shaping our futures.”
World Teachers’ Day is observed annually on October 5. It was inaugurated in 1994 following the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.
