𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗔𝘀 𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝗔𝘀 #20,000 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆---𝗧𝗥𝗖𝗡 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗿

BY NIGERDELTA VOICE,

Niger Delta, Nigeria

The Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Dr. Ronke Soyombo, has expressed concern over the poor remuneration of teachers in some private schools across the country, revealing that certain educators still earn as little as N20,000 per month.

Soyombo made the disclosure during the Annual Summit of the Conference of Private School Associations in Lagos (COPSAIL), held in Lagos State under the theme, "Transformation of Education in Lagos State."

According to her, improving teachers' welfare remains critical to achieving quality education, noting that teachers are the foundation upon which every successful educational system is built.

She recounted the experience of an award-winning teacher from a private school who was compelled to sell a vehicle presented to him as a reward due to financial hardship.

"I remember when Governor Dapo Abiodun and I presented a car to the best teacher. A week later, I saw him walking and asked what happened to the car. He told me he had sold it because he was earning just N20,000 monthly," Soyombo said.

The TRCN registrar identified poor remuneration as one of the major challenges affecting teacher motivation, productivity and retention in schools.

"If we want quality service from teachers, we must pay them well. Teachers also have families and aspirations. Adequate remuneration will discourage them from constantly seeking alternative means of livelihood," she added.

Soyombo further noted that many private school proprietors hesitate to invest in teacher development for fear that trained educators may leave for better opportunities elsewhere. She stressed the need for improved conditions of service to retain qualified personnel and strengthen the education sector.

She maintained that meaningful educational transformation in Nigeria cannot be achieved without prioritising teachers and involving them in policy implementation.

The registrar also called for stronger teacher regulation, continuous professional development, safeguarding measures and responsible integration of artificial intelligence into classroom learning.

She disclosed that the council has upgraded its digital teacher portal to simplify registration, licensing, certification and verification processes, while plans are underway to launch a mobile application for teachers nationwide.

In addition, Soyombo revealed that the TRCN is strengthening safeguarding mechanisms, including the introduction of a toll-free line for reporting cases of sexual abuse and professional misconduct, as well as plans to implement criminal record checks for teachers.

Speaking at the summit, renowned entrepreneur and former Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, emphasized the importance of leadership in driving educational transformation.

Delivering a presentation titled "The Role of Leadership in the Transformation of Education," Awosika stated that no nation can achieve sustainable development without a well-educated population.

"There is no development in any nation without an educated population. The quality of education and enlightenment among citizens directly influences a nation's ability to achieve its developmental goals," she said.

Awosika stressed that education must be deliberately aligned with economic and developmental objectives to produce the human capital required for growth and innovation.

She urged policymakers to identify skills gaps within the economy and develop educational frameworks capable of producing the workforce needed to address those deficiencies.

The business leader also highlighted the shortage of healthcare professionals in Nigeria, calling for reforms that would increase the training of skilled workers in critical sectors.

She further encouraged educators to foster curiosity, critical thinking and innovation among students rather than discouraging questioning and creativity.

Also speaking at the event, Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, reaffirmed the state's commitment to improving educational standards and ensuring the safety of schools.

He noted that private schools remain key members of the state's Safe Schools Committee and called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to enhance school security.

According to the commissioner, the Lagos State Government has continued to invest in educational infrastructure, including the construction of over 400 classrooms, expansion of digital learning platforms, promotion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, and continuous teacher training programmes.

Alli-Balogun disclosed that 61.5 per cent of the more than 45,000 students who participated in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Lagos obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.

He also encouraged teachers to embrace artificial intelligence, modern teaching methodologies and professional certification through the TRCN.

Earlier, COPSAIL President, Dr. Olufemi Ogunsanya, described education as a vital tool for nation-building, economic development and social stability.

She warned that declining educational standards could contribute to rising insecurity, unemployment and reduced productivity, while stressing that a transformed education system would produce skilled, ethical, technologically competent and globally competitive citizens.

Ogunsanya urged stakeholders to embrace innovation, strengthen quality assurance, invest in teacher development and promote values-based education to prepare learners for the demands of the 21st century.