World Teachers’ Day: FCT educators demand housing, enhanced security, equity

By Stanley Onyekwere

As educators across the globe marked the 2026 World Teachers’ Day on Monday, major teaching unions in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) converged in Abuja to call on the government to address acute housing deficits, operational hazards, and systemic welfare disparities.
Speaking during the joint national celebration, the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), FCT Chapter, made a passionate plea to the government to establish a dedicated housing scheme for teachers to alleviate severe living conditions in the nation’s capital.
FCT ASUSS Chairman, Julius Ogundiran, commended the ongoing infrastructural transformation in the education sector under FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, but pointed out that skyrocketing housing costs in Abuja are severely undermining teacher morale.
“Most of our colleagues, even in Garki here, are coming from Suleja or Abaji, and some are even sleeping in classrooms because they can’t afford houses in town.
“We have been hearing that the reward of teachers is in heaven.
“We don’t have to go to heaven before we start carrying our reward—let us enjoy it now,” Ogundiran revealed.
To permanently resolve the crisis, Ogundir urged the FCT leadership to construct dedicated housing estates or allocate subsidized land across all six area councils for educators.
He stressed that strengthening teacher welfare directly bolsters national stability: “If the government stands with the teachers, the teachers will be strong.
“If the teachers are strong, education will be strong. If education is strong, the nation will be strong.”
Echoing these concerns, Mrs. Grace Philip, a teacher at Junior Secondary School Tungan Maje, lamented the systemic neglect and promotion delays affecting frontline educators, stating, “In everything they are doing in this country, teachers always come last.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT Wing, focused on operational security, general welfare, and gender inclusion within the profession.
Addressing press queries on the sidelines of the event, the State Secretary of the NUT FCT Wing, Comrade Mrs. Margaret Jethro, clarified that female teachers, who constitute the majority of the teaching workforce are fully integrated and protected from gender discrimination within the union structure.
“Women teachers are not segregated; they are being carried along,” Jethro said, noting that the NUT constitution mandates the election or co-optation of women into executive positions.
“Any issue being faced by women is being faced by all teachers in the federation. It is not a matter of gender.
“We all know about the issues regarding pay and how teachers are treated compared to workers in other sectors.”
Jethro also highlighted the rising hazards teachers face from hostile parents while attempting to enforce discipline in schools, citing a tragic assault incident in Kogi State.
“Teaching carries a lot of hazards. What happened in Kogi is tragic and could happen to a male or female teacher.
“We are deeply unhappy about it… and we demand justice for the victim,” she stated, calling for enhanced security measures in schools nationwide.
Responding to the union demands, the Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to prioritizing educational funding, continuous professional training, and teacher welfare.
Representing the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, Mrs. Kikelomo Ogundele described investment in educators as an “indispensable investment in Nigeria’s future,” emphasizing that no structural educational reform can succeed without motivated and supported teachers.
“Teachers do far more than transmit knowledge; they shape characters, nurture talents, inspire ambition, and prepare young people to contribute meaningfully to society,” Bagudu noted.
Delivering the keynote perspective, the Chairman of the occasion and Managing Director/CEO of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mr. Oluwaseun Falaye, represented by Executive Director of Administration, Mr. Samaila Abdul, urged administrative leaders across all educational institutions to uphold transparency, integrity, and ethical conduct.