As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark World Teachers’ Day, callers on Eagle 102.5 FM’s Frontline programme have called for improved welfare, better remuneration and adequate facilities for teachers, arguing that celebrating educators should go beyond annual ceremonies.
The calls came on Monday, October 5, 2026, during a discussion on the welfare and role of teachers in Ogun State, which also featured the Chairman of the Ogun State Teaching Service Commission, TESCOM, Apostle Abiodun Sanyaolu.
The contributions brought a public perspective to the ongoing conversation about the condition of teachers and the quality of the learning environment across the state.
One caller from Ilese-Ijebu described teachers as central to the development of society, stressing that their influence extends beyond the classroom. She said teachers help shape the character, knowledge and future prospects of children, making their contribution important to families and communities.
Describing teachers as “the pillar of everything in life,” the caller said their role could not be replaced even by parental education at home. She argued that because teachers carry such responsibility, their welfare should remain a priority for government.
She said, “The welfare of the teachers is very, very important. The government should look at it and make sure that teachers are given a good welfare system so that they will be proud of doing what they are doing.”
The caller's concern focused on the need to ensure that teachers are adequately supported to perform their responsibilities effectively. She argued that improved welfare would not only benefit teachers but could also strengthen their commitment to the profession and ultimately improve the quality of education received by students.
She also called for greater attention to the condition of schools, stressing that investment in education should not end with the construction of buildings.
According to her, schools require the necessary facilities and equipment to create an environment where teachers can work effectively and students can learn properly.
“It’s not just only the structure alone. They should put in the necessary things that are supposed to be in the school,” she said.
Her comments introduced a broader dimension to the World Teachers’ Day discussion, shifting attention from physical school infrastructure to the quality of facilities available for teaching and learning. She maintained that a functional school environment should provide teachers and students with the resources required to achieve meaningful educational outcomes.
Another contributor, Olu Ogunike, also called for better remuneration for teachers, arguing that the importance of the profession should be reflected in the income and conditions attached to it.
He said teaching plays a major role in developing the human resources that eventually drive the economy and wider society.
Ogunike said, “Teaching should be one of the well-paying work in the country” because of the contribution teachers make to national development. He stressed that the profession should attract greater recognition and financial reward given the responsibility placed on educators.
He noted that teachers are responsible for building the foundation upon which other professions depend, arguing that virtually every professional passes through the hands of a teacher at some point. According to him, the quality of a country's workforce is closely linked to the quality of its teachers and the conditions under which they operate.
The calls also highlighted the wider question of whether existing welfare interventions are sufficient to address the challenges facing teachers. While government officials have pointed to reforms in remuneration, digital training and workload management, the contributors argued that sustained attention to welfare and working conditions remains necessary.
The Chairman of TESCOM, Apostle Sanyaolu, had earlier described teachers as critical stakeholders in community development, rather than merely classroom instructors. He said every child who passes through the hands of a teacher eventually becomes part of the wider community, making educators an important part of the social and economic development of Ogun State.
Sanyaolu said teachers help shape the moral, social and intellectual development of children, which in turn affects the future of communities. His position reinforces the argument from the callers that investment in teachers has implications far beyond the education sector.
The TESCOM chairman also acknowledged that the state still had more work to do in improving the education sector. While outlining various reforms introduced by the government, he said the administration remained committed to ensuring that the gains already recorded were sustained.
“We still have a lot to do. There is a lot that is still ongoing, and we will continue to work to ensure that the gains recorded in the education sector are asustained,” he said.
The acknowledgement comes as the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration provides an opportunity to assess both progress and outstanding challenges in the education sector. For the callers, the celebration should serve not only as a moment to praise teachers but also as a reminder of the conditions under which they are expected to carry out their responsibilities.
The Ilese-Ijebu caller's emphasis on facilities also points to the importance of connecting teacher welfare with the broader learning environment. Better remuneration may improve morale, but effective teaching also requires functional classrooms, learning materials, technology and other basic resources that allow educators to do their jobs effectively.
Similarly, Ogunike's call for better pay reflects a longstanding concern about the attractiveness and sustainability of the teaching profession. If teachers are expected to shape future generations and build the human capacity required for economic development, the contributors argued that their compensation should reflect the weight of that responsibility.
The discussion therefore presented two complementary sides of the World Teachers’ Day conversation in Ogun State: the reforms and interventions highlighted by government, and the expectations of citizens who believe more can still be done.
While the state has pointed to measures aimed at improving teachers' welfare and working conditions, the callers stressed the need for those efforts to translate into stronger support for educators and better learning environments.
As Ogun State marks World Teachers’ Day, the contributions have renewed attention on the need for sustained investment in teachers, school facilities and professional development.
Beyond the annual celebration, the central expectation from the callers is that recognition of teachers should be matched by practical measures that enable them to work with dignity and provide students with the quality education they deserve.
0 Comments