Nigeria’s leadership continues to demonstrate a disturbing disregard for the nation’s education sector, particularly at the foundational level. The most recent and glaring example lies in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where over 400 public primary schools remained shut for more than three months. From March 21 to July 9, 2025, primary school teachers under the Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) embarked on a prolonged strike. Their demand was simple yet crucial: fair wages and better working conditions.

That pupils across the FCT were forced to stay at home for an entire academic term is deeply scandalous. While the strike has now ended—following the intervention of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike—the damage to learning, development, and the future of thousands of young Nigerians has already been done.

A Broken System Fails Its Youngest Citizens

The teachers’ demands were neither excessive nor ambiguous. They called for the payment of the new national minimum wage of ₦70,000 per month, a long-overdue adjustment reflecting Nigeria’s rising cost of living. They also sought a 25–35% wage increment and the full implementation of the 40% Peculiar Allowance granted to federal workers in similar positions. Additionally, they pushed for the payment of the ₦35,000 wage award and demanded the enforcement of a 2022 agreement that outlined a clear template for addressing outstanding entitlements.

Rather than negotiate in good faith or swiftly meet these legitimate demands, government authorities allowed the standoff to fester. As a result, public primary school pupils in the capital lost valuable academic time, especially during the critical third term, which often determines promotion to the next class. With only a few weeks left in the school calendar, school administrators may now attempt to compress or truncate the academic program, risking inadequate learning and further setbacks.

Inequality Worsens as Private Education Continues Uninterrupted

While public school pupils remained stuck at home, their peers in private institutions faced no such disruption. Their academic programs proceeded without pause, further widening the gap in educational access, quality, and outcomes. For some children in the FCT, especially those from low-income households, this disruption could permanently derail their education journey. Many may never return to the classroom. For these children, already vulnerable, the consequences may last a lifetime, leading to higher dropout rates, reduced economic prospects, and an increased risk of exploitation or criminal involvement.

This situation reveals a troubling truth: Nigeria’s public education system is on life support, and its youngest citizens are paying the highest price.

Public Money Flows Freely—But Not for Education

What makes this crisis particularly frustrating is that it unfolded in a region with one of Nigeria’s most resource-rich budgets. During the strike, the FCT Administration unveiled a flurry of expensive projects. Among them were:

• ₦21 billion for renovating the Vice-President’s residence,

• ₦39 billion for the Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre,

• Billions more allocated for luxury judges’ quarters,

• A new headquarters for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),

• And major infrastructure upgrades including 150 kilometers of roads and bridges.

These lavish expenditures highlight a jarring contradiction. While children sat idle at home and their teachers demanded wages owed to them, public officials had no problem approving and executing billion-naira vanity projects. If the FCT could afford such extravagance, why could it not pay its teachers?

Education Is a Right, Not a Privilege

Nigeria’s Constitution, along with numerous international treaties the country has ratified, affirms the right to education and the right of workers to fair wages. These are not privileges to be dispensed at the whims of politicians—they are obligations that the state must fulfill.

Yet, government officials continue to treat these constitutional responsibilities as optional. Far too often, they use partial or delayed payments as leverage to pressure striking workers back to work, without genuinely resolving the issues at hand. When Minister Wike complained that the teachers had been “unrealistic,” he revealed the deep-rooted disregard that many political leaders have for education.

Lost Opportunities for Millions of Nigerian Children

The implications extend far beyond the FCT. Nationwide, Nigeria’s education crisis has reached alarming levels. In 2024, the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education reported enrolling over 22,000 children from the six area councils of the FCT. But with the prolonged closure of schools, many of these children have likely returned to the streets, further inflating Nigeria’s already shameful statistics.

According to UNICEF, 18.5 million Nigerian children are out of school, including:

• 10.2 million at the primary school level

• 8.1 million in junior secondary school

This means Nigeria accounts for 15% of the world’s total out-of-school children. In a country of over 200 million people, such figures represent a ticking time bomb for social unrest, poverty, and underdevelopment.

Budget Allocations Reflect a Nation’s Priorities

A nation’s budget reflects its values. While Nigeria’s leaders frequently claim to prioritize education, their spending habits tell a different story. In the 1950s, Obafemi Awolowo, Premier of the defunct Western Region, allocated 35% of the regional budget to education. His vision helped lay the foundation for an educated and upwardly mobile population.

Fast forward to today: the 2025 federal budget allocates just 7.3% to education—a decline from the 8.21% allocated in 2024. These figures fall far short of the UNESCO recommendation of 15–20% of total public spending and pale in comparison to global standards. For instance, in 2023, European Union countries spent an average of 4.7% of their GDP on education.

Such underinvestment leaves Nigeria poorly positioned to compete in a digital and knowledge-driven global economy.

Legal Frameworks Without Enforcement Are Toothless

Beyond poor funding, Nigeria’s lack of enforcement of existing education laws worsens the crisis. The Child Rights Act, which mandates compulsory basic education for at least nine years, remains largely unenforced. As a result, many families, especially in rural and low-income areas, do not feel compelled—or enabled—to send their children to school.

This culture of impunity and negligence from both government and society undermines the notion of education as a basic human right. In a digital era, where education is central to innovation, employment, and productivity, Nigeria’s laissez-faire approach will only breed long-term stagnation.

Time for Urgent National Reprioritization

President Bola Tinubu and his administration must take decisive steps to restore confidence in Nigeria’s failing education system. Investing in teachers, paying living wages on time, and honoring labor agreements are foundational steps. Beyond that, the government must increase education funding to meet global benchmarks and invest in infrastructure, teacher training, digital learning, and school accessibility.

Political leaders must resist the allure of flashy infrastructure projects at the expense of human capital development. No road, bridge, or luxury building can replace the transformative power of education.

Final Thoughts: The Legacy of a Nation

How will history judge this generation of Nigerian leaders? If the country continues to shortchange its children’s education, the verdict will be damning. The current leadership must rise to the occasion, not just in words but in actions, and ensure that every Nigerian child has access to quality education—starting with fully functional, well-funded primary schools.

The future of Nigeria lies in its classrooms. Every missed school day is a missed opportunity to build a better nation. The time to act is now.