Nigeria Faces 1.2 Million Teacher Shortage, Educationist Warns

By MELVIN KOFFA

NIGERIA needs at least 1.2 million teachers to address its deepening teacher deficit crisis, according to Hajia Rabiu Adamu, Chairperson of the Governing Council, Federal College of Education, Ofeme, Abia.

Speaking at the matriculation of 153 pioneer NCE students on Friday, Adamu lamented that while the ideal ratio is 1 teacher to 25 students, some Nigerian schools operate with 1 teacher for 300 students.

“The biggest crisis in Nigeria is the teacher crisis. We need 1.2 million teachers minimum for Nigerian classes to be adequately provided for,” she said, urging new students to remain in the profession to secure the nation’s future.

Provost Dr. Titus Ezeme said the college, established in 2023 and fully accredited, has six schools and 29 programmes. He hailed scholarships awarded by philanthropists and confirmed the Federal Ministry of Education had approved a 74-room female hostel.

Nigeria currently has 915,913 teachers serving over 31.7 million pupils, according to the Universal Basic Education database.