ASUSS Demands Improved Remuneration For Teachers

… The current remuneration and conditions of service for teachers do not adequately reflect the responsibilities associated with the profession.

As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark the 2026 World Teachers’ Day, the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) renewed its call for the Federal and State Governments to introduce a Special Teachers’ Salary Structure (STSS) to improve the welfare, professional standing and attractiveness of teaching in the country.

The National President of ASUSS, Comrade Sola Adigun, made the demand in Abuja on Monday, October 5, 2026, during the union’s first joint national celebration of World Teachers’ Day. The event was held under the theme, “Standing with Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing its Status and Shaping our Futures.” It also coincided with ASUSS’s 3rd Annual National Workshop, which focused on “The Impact of Ethics and Attitudinal Change in Managerial Leadership.”

According to Adigun, the current remuneration and conditions of service for teachers do not adequately reflect the responsibilities associated with the profession. He argued that a dedicated salary structure should recognise the peculiar demands of teaching, reward experience and qualifications, acknowledge professional competence and provide clearer opportunities for career progression.

The proposed salary structure, ASUSS said, should also help make teaching more attractive to young Nigerians. The union believes that better remuneration and professional incentives could encourage highly qualified graduates to consider teaching as a long-term career rather than a temporary employment option.

Read More: FG Begins Vocational Training For 777 Youths

ASUSS Calls for Measures to Retain Teachers

Beyond salaries, ASUSS called for what it described as a brain-retention policy for the teaching profession. Adigun proposed competitive incentives, professional development opportunities and rural posting allowances as measures that could help attract and retain qualified teachers, particularly in areas where schools struggle to secure experienced professionals.

The call comes amid broader concerns about teacher welfare and working conditions across Nigeria. On World Teachers’ Day, teachers and their unions also raised concerns about career progression, employment opportunities, school infrastructure, professional development and the cost of living. The Federal Government, meanwhile, said it would continue efforts to strengthen the teaching profession through improved working conditions, professional development and institutional support.

ASUSS also urged the 36 state governments to implement the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, 2022 without administrative barriers or selective compliance. The union has previously raised concerns about uneven implementation of the legislation among states.

The Demand Goes Beyond Salaries

For ASUSS, improving teachers’ welfare cannot be separated from the conditions in which they work. Adigun called for a comprehensive improvement of learning environments, including modern classrooms, functional ICT laboratories, electricity, safe water and well-equipped libraries in both urban and rural schools.

The union also called for teachers to have a stronger voice in education policymaking. It argued that policies affecting classroom teaching should not be developed without meaningful consultation with the professionals expected to implement them. Continuous training, digital skills development and ethical leadership within schools were also identified as areas requiring attention.

The issue of teacher housing has also emerged as part of the wider welfare debate. In the Federal Capital Territory, ASUSS separately called for a dedicated housing scheme for teachers, citing high housing costs and long commuting distances as challenges impacting educators. The FCT chapter said some teachers commute from places such as Suleja and Abaji because of the cost of accommodation within the capital.

Read More: Education Beyond Exams: The Value Of Projects, Debates, And Creativity

From Celebration to Concrete Action

Adigun used the Teachers’ Day celebration to argue that symbolic recognition alone is insufficient. While annual celebrations, awards and public commendations acknowledge the contribution of teachers, ASUSS wants governments to translate such recognition into policies that directly impact teachers’ income, professional development, working environment and career prospects.

The union's position also reflects a broader question about how Nigeria structures compensation for professionals whose responsibilities carry significant public consequences. The National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission maintains several specialised salary structures for different categories of public-sector workers, including structures for medical personnel, university academics, research institutions and other professional groups.

ASUSS is therefore asking that teaching receive similar consideration based on the specific demands and responsibilities of the profession. The proposed STSS would need to address more than basic salary levels, with the union's demands pointing to experience, qualifications, professional competence, career progression and incentives for difficult postings.

Investing in the Teachers Behind the Education System

Teachers occupy a central position in Nigeria's education system because virtually every profession depends on the work of teachers at some stage of training. Doctors, engineers, lawyers, researchers, accountants and other professionals all pass through classrooms before entering their respective fields.

That connection was emphasised during the Teachers’ Day events, where government officials and education stakeholders described investment in teachers as an investment in the country's future. The argument is straightforward: policies aimed at improving education outcomes ultimately depend on the people responsible for delivering instruction, assessing learners, developing skills and supporting students in schools.

The debate over a Special Teachers’ Salary Structure therefore extends beyond a question of pay. It concerns how Nigeria attracts qualified people into teaching, retains experienced educators, supports them professionally and provides the working conditions necessary for effective teaching.

As the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebrations conclude, ASUSS has placed the demand for a dedicated salary structure firmly on the education policy agenda. The union's broader message is that recognition of teachers should be accompanied by measurable improvements in remuneration, professional development, infrastructure and working conditions.