Dr Wahab Azeez, Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos State, has advocated  improved education funding and enhanced welfare package and training for teachers to elevate their status and that of their profession.

Azeez made the advocacy on Monday in Lagos in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in commemoration of the 2026 World Teachers’ Day (WTD).

World Teachers Day is celebrated every Oct. 5 to recognise teachers’ contributions to education and society while promoting improved status, working conditions, professional development and support for educators.

Azeez  said that Nigeria’s education sector required stronger financial commitment from authorities, noting that the country remained among nations with low budget allocations to education.

According to him, inadequate funding affects teachers’ welfare, professional development and motivation, thereby weakening efforts to attract and retain highly-qualified teachers.

“Authorities must increase funding substantially to strengthen the teaching profession and improve learning outcomes,” he said.

He urged governments to prioritise teachers’ welfare and ensure their remuneration would reflect the importance of education to national development.

“Nigerian authorities should pay teachers and lecturers higher salaries than politicians because education drives national development,” Azeez said.

He also called for rewards and regular trainings for teachers, who, he said,  deserved incentives and opportunities to update their knowledge, skills and classroom practices.

“Rewards and training for teachers in Nigeria should be top-notch as done in other countries that value education.

“Professional growth improves teaching quality and national development,” he said.

He stressed the need to make teaching competitive, saying that the profession should attract the country’s best minds rather than remain open to all comers.

“Teaching should be for the best minds. Authorities should make the profession competitive and attractive enough to draw exceptional Nigerians,” Azeez said.

Similarly, the National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) called for improved welfare package and continuous  training for teachers to enhance quality education.

The Chairman of Board of Trustees of NAPTAN, Mr Adeolu Ogunbanjo, while congratulating Nigerian teachers on the WTD, described them as critical to the intellectual, moral and skills development of young people.

Ogunbanjo said that teachers played a significant role in helping students to discover and develop their talents and skills in areas including sports and crafts.

According to him, beyond imparting knowledge, teachers mold students into responsible citizens capable of contributing meaningfully to national development.

He said that governments must improve teachers’ conditions of service through better remuneration, housing schemes and other incentives that would make the profession more attractive.

The chairman emphasised  professional development of teachers, particularly in digital skills, to enable them to remain relevant in an increasingly technology-driven educational environment.

“Government should collaborate with the Nigeria Union of Teachers and the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria to ensure continuous teacher education and professional development,” he said.

Ogunbanjo said that rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence and other digital technologies had made it imperative for teachers to acquire relevant skills to effectively prepare students for the future.

He praised teachers for their contributions to nation-building.

He expressed gratitude to educators across the country for  efforts in shaping the future generations and assured them of continued support and recognition from NAPTAN.