There are indications that Nigeria needs 250,000 teachers annually to bridge the existing deficit even with the presence of a large number of those said to be unqualified.
This situation has become worrisome to the Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, TRCN, Professor Josiah Ajiboye.
As much as there is the prevalence of unqualified teachers with the attendant effect on the education standard, the shortfall in the number of teachers may not have been helped by the mass sack in Kaduna State.
The existence of unbaked teachers makes it imperative to clean up the sector and this has attracted the attention of the teachers’ council.
Although over 500, 000 teachers have been registered since 2016, the Nigerian government is concerned that the annual requirement of teachers of 250,000 is yet to be met.
The poor salary for teachers is one major reason the profession is becoming unattractive which in part explains the shortfall.
With a push by organized labour in Nigeria for a 30,000 Naira minimum wage which includes teachers’ salaries, it is the expectation of many that more graduates will show interest in teaching.