World Teachers’ Day: Ogun callers ask government to turn teacher praise into better pay, facilities

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to celebrate teachers, callers on Eagle 102.5 FM’s Frontline programme have challenged governments to move beyond annual tributes and provide educators with better pay, welfare and functional facilities.

The callers made the demand on Monday, October 5, 2026, during a discussion on teacher welfare and the state of education in Ogun State, which featured the Chairman of the Ogun State Teaching Service Commission, TESCOM, Apostle Abiodun Sanyaolu.

Their contributions brought the conversation closer to the experiences and expectations of members of the public, with emphasis on the conditions under which teachers work and the resources available to them in schools.

One caller from Ilese-Ijebu described teachers as fundamental to the development of society, arguing that their influence extends beyond the classroom to the character, knowledge and future of children.

Describing teachers as “the pillar of everything in life,” she said their contribution deserved greater attention from government, particularly in the area of welfare.

“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,” she said.

The caller also argued that teacher welfare could not be separated from the condition of the schools where educators work.

She stressed that constructing school buildings alone was not enough, noting that classrooms must be equipped with the facilities and materials required for effective teaching and learning.

1. “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 intervention widened the World Teachers’ Day conversation from celebrating educators to examining whether the learning environment provides teachers with the tools they need to deliver effectively.

Another contributor, Olu Ogunike, focused on remuneration, arguing that the financial reward attached to teaching should reflect the profession’s contribution to the development of the country.

“Teaching should be one of the well-paying work in the country,” Ogunike said.

He argued that virtually every profession depends on teachers because professionals across different fields pass through the education system before entering their chosen careers.

According to him, the quality of a nation’s human resources is closely connected to the quality of its teachers and the conditions under which they operate.

The callers’ concerns came against the backdrop of reforms highlighted by the TESCOM chairman, who outlined government interventions in teacher welfare, recruitment, workload management and digital training.

Sanyaolu described teachers as critical stakeholders in community development, stressing that their influence goes beyond classroom instruction.

He said every child taught by a teacher eventually becomes part of the wider community, making educators important contributors to the moral, social and intellectual development of society.

The TESCOM chairman, however, acknowledged that challenges remain in the education sector and said more work was required to consolidate the gains already recorded.

“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 sustained,” he said.

The contrasting perspectives during the programme highlighted two sides of the World Teachers’ Day conversation in Ogun: government’s account of reforms already introduced and the public’s expectation for those interventions to produce tangible improvements in teachers’ working conditions and students’ learning environments.

For the callers, recognition of teachers should therefore extend beyond speeches, gifts and annual celebrations. They want improved remuneration, functional school facilities, adequate learning resources and sustained professional support.

Their concerns also suggest that teacher welfare and school infrastructure are interconnected. While better remuneration may improve morale, teachers also require conducive classrooms, teaching materials, technology and other resources to perform their responsibilities effectively.

As Ogun marks World Teachers’ Day, the message from the radio audience is that appreciation for teachers should ultimately be measured not only by how they are celebrated, but by the conditions created for them to teach and for students to learn.