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Teachers’ Pay Crisis: See the Names of 12 States that Fail to Implement N30,000 Minimum Wage

Published by Tope Fakinlede on October 24th, 2024.

Teachers’ Pay Crisis: See the Names of 12 States that Fail to Implement N30,000 Minimum Wage

Twelve states across Nigeria have yet to adopt the 2019 minimum wage of N30,000 for teachers, according to data from the National Union of Teachers (NUT). While some states have implemented the wage, many have not fully applied it at the primary school level.

The states that have not implemented the wage for teachers include Abia, Adamawa, Benue, Cross River, Gombe, Imo, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba, Bauchi, and Zamfara. Furthermore, Anambra, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Nasarawa, and Yobe also have not extended the minimum wage to primary school teachers.

In Zamfara, the Nigeria Labour Congress has accused the state government of paying teachers only N8,000 monthly, while Abia State faces similar allegations for failing to implement the wage for all workers.

NUT President Titus Amba remarked on the concerning situation, noting that the previous administration under former President Muhammadu Buhari recognized the challenges faced by teachers on World Teachers’ Day in 2020. During that event, several welfare packages were proposed to enhance the teaching profession, including:

Payment of a Special Salary Scale for Basic and Secondary School teachers

Reintroduction of bursaries for education students in higher institutions

A special pension scheme to retain experienced teachers

Extension of retirement age for teachers

Development of a career path policy for educators

Construction of affordable housing for teachers in rural areas

Provision of loans for various needs, including agriculture and housing

Free tuition and automatic admission for teachers’ biological children

Amba expressed disappointment that four years later, many of these initiatives remain unfulfilled. He urged both federal and state governments to implement the approved incentives to improve teachers’ morale and support their vital role in the education sector.