In commemoration of the 2024 World Teachers’ Day, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Lagos State wing has called on both the federal and state governments to prioritise the provision of infrastructure and learning materials in schools.
  
The union also urged the government to provide adequate funding for the education sector to thrive. According to the union, adequate funding in the education sector will facilitate effective and better education policy formulation.
  
NUT National President Audu Amba, at the celebration over the weekend, said: “There is a need to address the systemic challenges faced by teachers, to strengthen social dialogue, and to incorporate teachers’ perspectives into educational policy and decision-making process. Teachers, indeed, need a greater voice in decision-making; they need more supportive environments and better working conditions to ensure effective education delivery, and to meet the needs of society and the demands of the 21st century.”
  
He noted that 23 states have implemented the new retirement policy of 65 years of age and 40 years in service for teachers, urging the remaining 13 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to implement it immediately without further delay.
  
Amba said that implementing such a policy would not only provide benefits further from the services of the experienced teachers but would also help to address the manpower needed in the school system.
  
State Chairman, NUT Lagos State wing, Hassan Akintoye emphasised the urgency of valuing teachers’ voices in creating a new social contract for education.

His words: “The current state of education when marginalises teachers in policy decisions, despite being the backbone of our education system. The exclusion has led to a disconnection between policy and practice, a lack of autonomy and decision-making power, and inadequate resources and support. The consequences of undervaluing teacher voices are far-reaching, resulting in teacher demotivation and brain drain, decreased student outcomes and achievement, and erosion of public trust in education.”
  
Akintoye added that a new social contract for education must prioritise teacher voices, recognising their expertise, autonomy, and agency, noting that teachers are professionals with unique insights, and empowering them to make pedagogical decisions will improve education outcomes.

He, therefore, urged government, policymakers, and stakeholders to involve teachers in policy formulation to ensure that policies align with classroom realities.  He also urged them to engage with teachers in meaningful dialogue, support teacher-led initiatives and research, and recognize and value teacher expertise.
 
 The guest speaker, Prof. Onyekunle Oyelami of the Faculty of Education, the University of Lagos State (UNILAG), said a new social contract would bring about improvement in education at all levels and that education should not be commercialised.
  
Speaking on the theme, ‘Valuing Teachers’ Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education,’ Oyelami said there is a need to improve teachers’ capacities, provide an enabling environment, and encourage students to go to school, even as he lamented that children are no longer interested in going to school.

“All of us, including the parents, the teachers, in the church, in the mosque, must be a partaker in making sure that education remains relevant and a development strategy,” he said.