Solving Nigeria’s problems depends on taking education seriously —Akintoye, Lagos NUT chairman

Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Lagos State Wing, Comrade Hassan Akintoye, in this interview with TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE, addresses critical issues affecting teachers and the teaching profession, highlighting how government neglect and societal indifference towards educators continue to stifle economic growth. Excerpts:

How do you assess Nigeria’s teachers and the teaching profession? 

Nigeria’s teachers were once highly regarded as pillars and opinion leaders within their local communities. Up until the early 1990s, hardly a critical decision was made across various communities in the country without referencing teachers and securing their support. This reflected just how much society respected the profession in those days. Unfortunately, this narrative has shifted drastically, and teachers are no longer accorded that same level of respect. This decline in prestige does not stem from an oversupply of educators. Instead, it is the result of prolonged neglect from both public and private sector employers. The government, in particular, has, knowingly or not, relegated teaching to the lowest tier among professional bodies. Despite this, Nigerian teachers remain some of the most patriotic professionals in the country.

By virtue of their training, teachers are equipped to be exceptionally tolerant and to exhibit a high level of endurance. The very values that we believe any civilised society should uphold are the core principles instilled in every educator. Ironically, it may be because of this deep capacity for endurance that teachers have opened themselves up to unfair treatment, causing the entire educational system to suffer setbacks. Ultimately, Nigerian teachers can be described as the most patriotic professionals in our workforce. More often than not, they look past personal benefit and choose instead to selflessly serve humanity.

Teachers have always complained about poor welfare, inadequate remuneration, poor infrastructure and substandard working conditions. What is the current situation regarding these issues in the country?

I doubt there is any state of the federation where all these issues do not persist. These issues feature recurrently in NUT leaders’ speeches on World Teachers’ Day across the country. That shows that we are not there yet. This is because we are not rendering services that we intend to use to hold society to ransom.  Many people no longer believe in our school system because of insecurity. This situation has even given politicians an excuse to prefer sending their children abroad to study. They have abandoned the system.

Unfortunately, when the politicians come to campaign or use the masses for electoral purposes, the people prefer to accept handouts than hold them accountable, asking the politicians about their plans for education, health and housing, among others and how they intend to achieve them. These are the basic things every person needs. Honestly, however, we have lost our way as a nation, and those at the helms of affairs share the blame.

Looking at the situation holistically, there was a time when the Federal Government approved extending the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years or from 35 to 40 years of service. Some states, including Lagos, have still not implemented this policy. What is your take on that?

That is part of the argument. The inability to implement the policy does not even favour the new entrants into the system. What do I mean? The majority of these newcomers are already entering the workforce at an advanced age. The majority graduated at an average age of 28 to 30 due to some factors that are obvious to all of us. Incessant strikes and numerous challenges in our higher institutions have added to the number of years they spend in school before graduating, and even after graduation. Due to high level of unemployment, you must know one person or another to assist you in getting a job. The fact that you can prove your worth is not enough to secure a job in Nigeria. That is the truth and reality in our country today, unless we want to deceive ourselves.

So, they enter the workforce at an advanced age, and the effect is this: there are two time-based criteria for determining how long you will remain in service, your age, which is 60 years, or 35 years in service, whichever comes first. Definitely, somebody who is already 28 or 30, or even older, will be cut off by the age limit of 60. At the end of the day, such a person will have only about 25 to 28 years, at most, to spend in service. If anybody thinks this new law aims to benefit only those who are older in the system, we are getting it wrong. It is more beneficial to those who are just coming in. Those who are already in the system have had enough time. Many of them still manage to spend 32, 33 or 35 years in service before retirement.

However, if we are fortunate, the majority of these new entrants will not spend more than 25 years in service before retirement. That is almost a 10-year gap. So, what are we talking about? This makes it difficult for them to develop enough passion for the job. Their minds are not fully settled by the time they are due for retirement. They will be thinking about whether they can achieve fulfillment within those 25 years. That means they have divided interests in the job. So, they do the little they can and look elsewhere to make up for it. That is why, for me, it is not about those already in the system, but more about those coming in, whose interests they claim to be defending. We are the ones who actually defend the interests of those coming in.

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If the law is approved, even after five years, some workers will leave the system. Those coming in will still be the ones to sustain it. Apart from that, naturally, we all have different aspirations within the context of death as a natural force that no one can escape. Every day, every human being will, one way or another, die. So, not every employed teacher will complete 35 years in service or even reach 55. We must stop being an indolent society that always looks at issues from a negative point of view. Naturally, the system will be balanced by God, and that will assist the government in stabilising the wage bill, if that is a government concern.

In countries such as Canada, there is no retirement age for teachers. That is part of what makes them great. It has also been established that there is no human being, at any age, who is not useful to society. We only need to devise the means, especially if the primary purpose of the government is the welfare of citizens.

Looking at students’ assessment by comparing public school students with their private school counterparts, the latter consistently perform better, particularly in external examinations such as the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). What factors do you think are responsible for this trend?

I disagree with the assertion that private school students outperform public school students. While I am unsure what specific data is being referenced, general statistics often tell a different story. If you look at the sheer numbers, the top performers or the highest number of students who pass frequently come from the public school system. The perceived advantage of private schools is often an illusion created by percentages and smaller sample sizes.

For example, if a private school enrolls 10 students and all 10 pass, that is a 100 percent pass rate. Conversely, if a public school enrolls 100 students and 70 pass, that is a 70 percent pass rate. Comparing these two figures purely by percentages, without accounting for the total number of candidates involved, makes it appear that the group with fewer students performed better. This is a critical nuance in educational data that many people overlook.

Look around today, and you will notice a troubling trend. Many parents are stepping back from their primary responsibilities, expecting schools and teachers to do the heavy lifting of raising their children. What is your take on this?

This observation accurately reflects our daily reality. Many of the children we teach arrive at school on empty stomachs, completely uncertain of where their next meal will come from. To alleviate this, my colleagues and I quietly step in to assist these vulnerable and indigent students, keeping our efforts private. Beyond dealing with severe hunger, many of these students act as the primary breadwinners for their families, a stark reflection of the economic challenges facing our country.

Because their attention is divided, they rush to work immediately after school or spend their evenings learning trades. They use their meager earnings to feed themselves and support their parents. Given these overwhelming burdens, it is no surprise that when we ask these students to bring their parents to school for critical meetings, they are highly reluctant to do so. This remains a profound and deeply concerning challenge.

How do you advise students as well as parents?

My advice is for everyone to play their respective roles well. Parents must actively support their children’s education, while students must stay focused and committed to their studies. We must remember that a nation can only transform into a progressive and developed society if its citizens are well educated. You simply cannot compare a nation that invests heavily in education with one that abandons its system; the gap is always massive.

Therefore, I urge students to take their education seriously. It is the ultimate ticket to fulfillment in life. I choose the word ‘fulfilment’ intentionally because most people mistake financial success for fulfillment, but the two are not the same. For parents, the greatest legacy and peace of mind they can give their children is a quality education. An educated mind possesses a sense of self-worth and pride. Such individuals are conscious of their character and will think twice before bringing shame to their families. If you are looking for the absolute solution to every societal problem, the answer is education, and after that, it is still education. Ultimately, education will drive our economic prosperity as a country and as a people.

Looking at the current state of the nation, particularly the economic hardships, how are teachers coping and responding to these challenges?

We are feeling the heat, just like every other Nigerian. This has been evident in all my analysis above. My complaints demonstrate what we are actually facing. Perhaps this will attract the attention of stakeholders, especially the government. Maybe they will be able to appreciate teachers’ efforts to improve the economy. As it is today, we are rendering services that are not truly appreciated in proportion to the value of our input. This has to change in the interest of society. Society has not done enough to appreciate the work of teachers in this part of the world.