ADC, Atiku Accuse APC Of Neglecting Teachers’ Welfare

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has paid tribute to teachers across Nigeria while accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration of neglecting their welfare.

Atiku, in a statement on Sunday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, said the rising cost of living has made it difficult for teachers to support their families and discharge their duties.

“Of course, I appreciate Nigerian teachers. I am a product of their work and the education I received in their classrooms. I still remember the names and faces of my early teachers in Jada, who saw potential in a young orphan when few others did. They taught me arithmetic and grammar, but they also gave me a future,” Atiku said.

“When I hear of a teacher forced to walk miles because transport fares consume so much of their salary, or borrowing food on credit to feed their family before going to teach our children, my heart breaks. No nation can rise above the level of its teachers. I will honour them not only with words, but with policies that improve their welfare and make life more affordable,” he added.

Atiku also took a swipe at President Bola Tinubu, saying it was embarrassing that the President could not name a teacher who taught him.

“It is both revealing and deeply embarrassing that Bola Tinubu cannot name a single teacher who stood before him or a classmate who sat beside him. Teachers are the architects of every nation’s future. A leader who cannot remember those who laid the foundation of his own education has shown just how far removed he is from the classroom and from the daily struggles of those who keep it alive. If he cannot honour the people who helped shape him, how can he understand the sacrifices teachers make today? Such a president cannot make life dignified or affordable for teachers — not in the country he leads, nor in the community he calls home,” he said.

He said teachers are expected to keep giving while the cost of food, transport, rent and electricity continues to rise.

“Government cannot praise teachers on this day and leave them to face hardship for the rest of the year. A commemorative message cannot pay a teacher’s bills. Respect must be reflected in fair conditions, reliable support and policies that make life affordable.

“I apologise to Nigeria’s teachers and to all Nigerians on behalf of a leadership that has failed to make their welfare a priority. Teachers deserve more than praise, and Nigerians deserve a government that puts their lives and livelihoods first,” Atiku said.

The former vice president, who is an educationist and founder of the American University of Nigeria, said he understands the dedication teaching demands.

“My promise is clear: I will work to make life affordable again. Teachers and families should not have to watch their incomes disappear on food, transport, rent and electricity. We will pursue policies that bring down the cost of living, support decent jobs and ensure that hard work can provide a dignified life,” he said.

In a separate statement to mark World Teachers’ Day, the ADC Presidential Campaign Council also saluted Nigerian teachers, describing them as the backbone of national development.

The Director, Media and Publicity of the Council, Kola Ologbondiyan, said teachers had continued to mould lives and sustain the education system despite neglect.

“Nigerian teachers are true heroes. They have continued to mould lives, build character and sustain our educational system even in the face of neglect and hardship. On this special day, the ADC-PCC celebrates their sacrifice, dedication, resilience and patriotic service to our dear country,” Ologbondiyan said.

He condemned what he described as worsening hardship under the APC administration, citing removal of petrol subsidy without adequate cushioning, poor salaries, inadequate welfare, poor training and dilapidated infrastructure.

“It is disheartening that those who teach our children, who nurture our future leaders, doctors, engineers and scientists are themselves living in pain.

“How can a teacher teach effectively on an empty stomach? How can a teacher give his best when he cannot afford transportation to school because of high fuel prices, when his salary cannot meet his monthly needs, when he has no adequate medical insurance and cannot afford decent accommodation?” he queried.

Ologbondiyan said the teaching profession had been devalued, with many primary and secondary school teachers poorly remunerated while workers in tertiary institutions have repeatedly embarked on strikes over welfare.

He assured that an ADC administration under Atiku would prioritise teachers’ welfare, with prompt payment of living wages, improved allowances, health insurance, affordable housing and continuous professional development.

“The ADC will place education and teachers’ welfare at the centre of its national development agenda because no nation can rise above the quality of its teachers,” he said.