The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Kano State Wing, has appealed to the Kano State Government to improve teachers’ welfare, address disparities in the conditions of service between primary and post-primary teachers in the state.
The NUT State Chairman, Comrade Baffa Ibrahim Garko, made the appeal in his address at the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration in Kano, held under the theme, “Standing with Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing its Status, and Shaping Our Future.”
Garko said the union’s demands were aimed at addressing longstanding welfare and professional challenges confronting teachers, stressing that improved conditions of service were essential to motivating teachers, retaining qualified personnel and improving the quality of education in the state.
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The NUT chairman specifically called for an urgent review of the disparity between basic and post-primary school teachers, urging the government to harmonise their salary structures, allowances and other conditions of service.
According to him, teachers performing equally important roles in the education system should not face avoidable disparities in remuneration and welfare based on the level of school where they serve.
Garko also appealed to the government to implement outstanding promotions and ensure the immediate payment of financial benefits attached to such promotions, while calling for improved welfare packages for teachers across the state.
Garko further called for a review of the Secondary Schools Upkeep Programme, with adequate and timely funding for maintenance, repairs, sanitation, furniture and instructional materials.
He also appealed for the provision of an official bus for the NUT Kano State Wing to facilitate its official activities across the state, as well as proper payment of principals’ duty posts and allowances in view of their administrative and academic responsibilities.
On career progression, Garko called for the protection of the salary scale and retirement benefits of teachers serving as Sit-in Directors, urging the government to remove administrative and regulatory barriers affecting eligible teachers.
He also appealed for the advancement of eligible teachers on Grade Level 15 to Grade Level 16, particularly those serving in senior administrative positions, so they can retire at the appropriate directorate level. The Historica Nigeria independently reported the same major demands from Garko at the celebration.
The NUT chairman also called for the recruitment of more teachers to address manpower shortages and urged the government to sustain investment in school infrastructure, teaching materials and other measures capable of motivating and retaining qualified teachers.
Despite the appeals, Garko commended the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for regular payment of salaries, implementation of promotions and financial benefits, provision of teaching and learning materials, infrastructure development and interventions under the State of Emergency on Education.
He also acknowledged improved performance in NECO examinations, attributing the progress to government investment and the dedication of teachers.
Garko said the NUT represents more than 100,000 teachers across Kano State, from primary schools in remote communities to senior secondary schools.
He urged teachers to reciprocate government’s efforts through punctuality, dedication, professionalism and commitment to their responsibilities.
He also called on teachers to serve as mentors and role models to pupils and students, while warning against unethical conduct capable of undermining the dignity of the profession.
“Let us be mentors, not merely teachers,” Garko urged.
He stressed that the union’s demands were not confrontational, but were based on fairness, dialogue and partnership between government and teachers.
“If we want quality education, we must invest in the people who provide it. When we invest in teachers, we invest in the future of Kano State,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kano State Commissioner for Education, Gwani Dr. Ali Haruna Makoda, commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for what he described as the administration’s prioritisation of education through substantial budgetary allocations and reforms.
Makoda said education had consistently received the largest share of the state’s annual budget, with allocations of about 29.75 per cent in 2024, 31.5 per cent in 2025 and about 30 per cent in 2026.
The commissioner said the 2026 allocation amounted to more than ₦430 billion, reflecting the government’s commitment to strengthening education infrastructure, human resources and learning conditions.
He also highlighted government interventions in school rehabilitation, provision of teaching and learning materials and teacher recruitment as part of efforts to improve the education sector.
The Kano State Government’s published 2026 Basic Education Teachers Mapping and Recruitment Plan also identifies substantial teacher manpower needs across the state, underscoring the importance of continued recruitment and deployment.
Representing Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf at the celebration, the Secretary to the Kano State Government, Alhaji Faruk Umar Ibrahim, said the administration recognised teachers as critical to the development of the state and had continued to invest in their welfare and the education sector.
Faruk said the government had recruited qualified teachers, constructed and renovated classrooms and provided resources required for effective teaching and learning across the state.
He urged teachers not to allow current challenges to discourage them from carrying out their responsibilities, stressing that government support for teachers was not a favour but an investment in children and the future of Kano State.
According to him, the enormous pressure on the state’s resources had not stopped the government from prioritising education and supporting initiatives aimed at improving the sector.
The SSG said the state government would continue to support education authorities and work with development partners to strengthen the education system and provide better learning opportunities for children.
He also urged teachers to monitor pupils and students against the growing threat of drug abuse and other social challenges affecting young people.
Faruk disclosed that the state government was already tackling drug abuse through a special multi-agency task force established to rehabilitate affected persons, dismantle drug-related networks and prevent illicit substances from reaching classrooms.
He said the government’s objective was to protect young people and ensure that schools remained safe environments for learning.
The SSG thanked teachers across the state for their commitment and urged them to continue giving their best despite the challenges confronting the profession.
The World Teachers’ Day celebration therefore brought together the union’s demands for improved welfare and professional recognition with the government’s position that continued investment in teachers, infrastructure and learning resources remains central to improving education in Kano State.