By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
Teachers in Kogi State have used this year’s World Teachers’ Day celebration to sound a wake-up call to the state government: recruit more teachers or risk further setbacks in secondary school education.
At the event in Lokoja on Monday, the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) Kogi chapter decried the huge shortfall of teachers in public schools and demanded the immediate recruitment of at least 2,871 new teachers.
The union’s chairman, Comrade Emejeh Ogwu Sunday, said the shortage had stretched the system to a breaking point, leaving many schools struggling to cope.
“When 1,108 teachers were recruited in 2023, it was appreciated. But the reality is that we needed almost 10,000 teachers at that time. The deficit remains. For effective teaching and learning today, Kogi State cannot do without at least 2,871 more teachers,” he stated.
Beyond staffing, Comrade Sunday highlighted teachers’ welfare as another urgent concern. He urged the Federal Government to strengthen the naira and reduce the cost of living, while calling on the state government to pay outstanding leave bonuses, harmonize pensions for retirees, and consider a revolving motorcycle loan scheme to help teachers with mobility.
Still, he acknowledged the Ododo administration’s efforts in paying salaries and pensions promptly and implementing the minimum wage, describing these as positive steps worth building on.
The ASUSS boss also pressed for improved infrastructure in secondary schools, saying many learning environments were in a deplorable state.
This year’s global theme — “Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession” — echoed throughout the event, with calls for stronger partnerships between government, parents, teachers, and communities.
Comrade Onu Johnson Edoka, Special Adviser to Governor Ododo on Labour Matters, praised teachers’ resilience, assuring them that government would not ignore their plight. He discouraged strike actions, saying: “Kogi has gone beyond that stage.”
The State Head of Service, Dr. Elijah Adeiza Evinemi, described the administration as “teacher-friendly” and revealed that a request for new teacher recruitment had already been tabled before the governor.
For Hajia Habitat Suleiman, Executive Chairman of the Kogi State Senior Secondary Education Board, the challenge was broader: parents increasingly abandon their responsibilities, leaving teachers to bear the brunt of raising children. She urged teachers to remain steadfast in instilling discipline and moral values.
Former ASUSS chairman and now SSA to the Governor on Labour Matters (West), Dr. Ojo Ranti Matthew, thanked teachers for their support and called on them to rally behind the current leadership.
The celebration ended on a hopeful note, with teachers applauded for their selfless contributions to shaping the next generation, even in the face of daunting challenges.