Every year, we gather on World Teachers’ Day to clap, cheer, and express our gratitude.  We make speeches about how important they are. But if we pause for a moment, we must admit that applause does not pay rent, it does not put food on the table, and it does not fix broken classrooms and the educational system. Nigerian teachers deserve more than just kind words, they deserve genuine support, meaningful investment, and genuine respect.

Think about it for a second. Every governor, every doctor, every tech innovator, every business leader, even the celebrities we love and celebrate, first sat in a classroom where a teacher patiently laid the foundation. Yet, too often, that same teacher works under crumbling ceilings, in overcrowded classrooms, without proper resources, and for salaries that are sometimes delayed for months.

The truth is, teaching in Nigeria is not easy. Many teachers dip into their own pockets to buy chalk, exercise books, or teaching aids. They mentor children who face challenges at home, they motivate students to dream beyond their circumstances, and they carry the weight of communities on their shoulders. They do not just teach subjects, they shape destinies.

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And yet, where is the reward? Where is the investment? For too long, education budgets have treated teachers as an afterthought. Many earn below a living wage, some juggle multiple jobs to survive, and others give up the profession altogether. This is not just unfair; it is dangerous. A country that neglects its teachers is a country that undermines its own future.

Take the case of Esomnofu Chidiebube Ifechukwu, who grew up struggling with Maths but turned that challenge into a mission. From earning just ₦4,000 a month in a village school, he went on to help thousands of students beat their fear of numbers, producing free WAEC resource DVDs and textbooks along the way. His efforts earned him the Maltina Teacher of the Year Award in 2024, outshining over 1,400 others.

He is not alone. Across Nigeria, some teachers walk miles to reach rural schools, who dip into their own pockets to buy chalk or textbooks, and who refuse to give up on children society has written off. Some, like those honoured by the Presidential Teachers and Schools Excellence Awards, have introduced innovative teaching methods that lifted entire schools out of poor performance.

This shows that teachers, when given the chance, change lives and transform communities. But how long will we continue to celebrate them with words, while ignoring the need for better pay, training, and working conditions?

On this World Teachers’ Day, let us applaud them, yes. But let us also remember that applause does not pay rent or buy books. If we want a brighter future, we must start by treating teachers as the nation-builders they truly are.

So, what do we do?

 First, we must raise the standard of teacher welfare, timely salaries, better pay, and access to professional development. Second, we must equip classrooms with books, digital tools, and decent infrastructure. Finally, as a society, we must shift our mindset. Respect for teachers should not be ceremonial; it should be cultural, practical, and constant.

If we want a Nigeria filled with strong leaders, brilliant minds, and innovative thinkers, then we must start by truly honouring those who guide them from the very first page of their notebooks. Teachers deserve not just our words, but our actions.

Because with teachers, leaders are created 

Anita Chinedu