Teachers in Ebonyi State have called on the state government to urgently recruit more teachers and clear outstanding salary and wage arrears owed to educators across public schools.
The State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Francis Ekechi, made the call during the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration held at the NUT Secretariat in Abakaliki.
Ekechi said severe manpower shortages in public schools had placed excessive workloads on existing teachers and made it difficult for the state to achieve the recommended teacher-to-pupil ratio of 1:30.
He urged the government to commence immediate recruitment to address the shortage and improve the quality of teaching and learning in the state.
The NUT chairman also called for regular training and retraining programmes focused on modern teaching methods and instructional technology.
Among the union’s other demands are the immediate payment of salary arrears owed to teachers affected by the Teachers’ Service Years Harmonisation policy and the settlement of seven months’ minimum wage increment arrears reportedly owed to SUBEB primary school teachers.
The union also appealed to the state government to provide an 18-seater operational bus to support its administrative activities.
Despite the demands, Ekechi commended Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s administration for what he described as a teacher friendly disposition, citing the recall of directors within the education sector and the implementation of a ₦20,000 monthly allowance increase for SUBEB teachers.
The 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration was held under the theme, “Standing with Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing the Status and Shaping Our Futures.”
Speaking at the event, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ogugua Egwu, urged government and society to move beyond verbal appreciation and take concrete steps to improve teachers’ welfare and working conditions.
The Commissioner for Education, Dr. Donatus Ilang, also emphasised the importance of teachers to the development of the state and the country, stressing that no society can make meaningful progress without a strong teaching workforce.
In his remarks, Governor Nwifuru reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving teachers’ welfare and upgrading school infrastructure across Ebonyi State.
He said the government would continue to recognise and invest in outstanding teachers, describing motivated educators as essential to societal development.
By Enitan Mudashiru | MUK TV News
