A prominent Nigerian educationist, Dr. Mike Ikhariale, has called for sweeping reforms in the nation’s education sector, proposing that teachers at all levels be required to possess a minimum of a master’s degree and earn a starting salary of at least N400,000 monthly.
Dr. Ikhariale made the recommendation while speaking at an education stakeholders’ forum in Abuja on Tuesday, stressing that the quality of any nation’s education system can never rise above the quality of its teachers. He argued that Nigeria must begin to treat teaching as a highly skilled and well-compensated profession if it intends to develop a competitive, knowledge-based economy.
According to him, the current poor remuneration and low qualification standards in the teaching profession are contributing to a mass exodus of competent minds and deteriorating learning outcomes across public schools.
“It is disheartening that we expect teachers to transform the minds of future leaders while denying them decent wages and professional recognition. No serious country compromises on the quality and welfare of its teachers,” he said.
Dr. Ikhariale urged the Federal Government and relevant education authorities to implement policy reforms that would not only upgrade entry-level qualifications for teachers to a master’s degree but also establish a salary structure that reflects the strategic importance of their role in national development.
His proposal has drawn mixed reactions, with some education stakeholders describing it as ambitious yet necessary, while others argued that the infrastructure and resources to support such a policy are currently inadequate.
Nonetheless, the conversation reignites ongoing debates about education reform, particularly the need to professionalize teaching in Nigeria and align the system with global best practices. As calls for reform continue to gain momentum, attention now turns to policymakers and whether they are prepared to take bold steps toward revitalizing the country’s ailing education system.
