The Labour Party(LP) has demanded an urgent declaration of a National State of Emergency in Nigeria’s teaching sector, warning that a country that neglects the teachers shaping its future is effectively putting its own development at risk.
Marking World Teachers’ Day, the Party said Nigerian teachers have been left to contend with poor working conditions, inadequate learning facilities and insufficient welfare despite the critical role they play in building the nation’s human capital.
National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Ken Eluma Asogwa in a statement on Monday said it stands with teachers in their demand for better conditions of service, improved learning environments and greater investment in their professional development.
The Party stressed that teachers should not be expected to produce a world-class generation while working in conditions that undermine their dignity and effectiveness.
It said its roots in the Labour Movement give it a historic responsibility to defend the interests and welfare of Nigerian workers, including teachers.
As the 2027 elections approach, the Party urged Nigerian teachers to support its candidates across elective positions, saying its political platform is committed to improving the welfare of teachers and transforming the education sector.
The Party pointed to developments in Abia State under Governor Alex Otti, where it said campaign promises made to teachers had been fulfilled, describing the development as evidence of what can be achieved when teachers’ welfare receives serious attention.
It said the Abia experience would be replicated in other states where Labour Party candidates are elected.
The Party further called for sustained investment in the training and retraining of teachers, better classrooms and learning facilities, and improved remuneration and working conditions.
It warned that the familiar saying that “a teacher’s reward is in heaven” must never become an excuse for denying teachers decent wages and humane working conditions.
The Party said the expression should instead reflect society’s appreciation of teachers for their enormous contribution to humanity.
The Labour Party reaffirmed its commitment to a Nigeria where teachers are respected, properly rewarded and equipped with the tools required to educate and prepare future generations.
