About one in three teachers in Nigeria’s basic schools are unqualified, a situation UBEC says is undermining the quality of education across the country.
Data for the 2022/23 academic year show that only 70.8 per cent of teachers meet official standards, leaving 492,912 without proper credentials.
The South West has the lowest share of qualified teachers at 66.34 per cent and the highest number of unqualified staff at 140,824. North Central has the highest proportion of qualified teachers at 74.78 per cent, followed by South East (72.39 per cent), North West (72.04 per cent), North East (71.41 per cent), and South South (69.81 per cent). In absolute numbers, North West has 95,833 unqualified teachers, North Central 81,636, South South 72,728, North East 53,938, and South East 47,953.
Former Teachers’ Registration Council Registrar, Professor Josiah Ajiboye, said rising student populations and the growth of schools have intensified the shortage of qualified teachers. Public primary schools account for 24.2 million pupils, with private schools adding 7.4 million.
Analysts warn that chronic underfunding, poor infrastructure, and low teacher quality could threaten literacy and learning outcomes. Nigeria has pledged professional development and stricter recruitment, but experts say urgent action is needed to meet universal education goals.
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