The Nigeria Union of Teachers, (NUT) has urgently called for a Hardship Allowance for teachers, citing rising transport costs worsened by recent fuel price hikes.
NUT Secretary General, Dr. Mike Ene explained in an interview on Sunday that the Constitutional arrangement placing education on the Concurrent List complicates the situation. “With education being under both federal and state jurisdiction, implementing uniform solutions like providing buses for teachers may not be feasible,” Ene said.
Ene highlighted the disparity in government support, noting, “Federal, state, and local governments employ teachers at different levels with varying capacities. A more practical solution could be monetising a palliative measure to help teachers manage high transport fares.”
He criticised the new wage structure, stating, “The current pay is insufficient for teachers’ commuting needs. Some states haven’t even fully implemented the N30,000 minimum wage before the new N70,000 wage came into effect.”
Ene also pointed out inconsistencies in working conditions, saying, “While some states offer workers reduced office hours, teachers still work five days a week, without such benefits.
“If we expect our teachers to perform well while struggling with their own basic needs, we are setting them up for failure. Happy teachers produce better outcomes.”
Speaking on the broader impact of fuel price increases, “The Nigeria Labour Congress agreed to the N70,000 minimum wage with the understanding that fuel prices would remain stable. This has not been the case, adding further strain on teachers.”
