Teachers’ Day: Tinubu Does Not Understand Teachers’ Struggles

Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of being disconnected from the struggles facing Nigerian teachers, saying his inability to identify teachers or classmates from his school days reflects how removed he is from the realities of the classroom.

Atiku made the assertion in a Teachers’ Day message in which he paid tribute to teachers across Nigeria and expressed concern over the worsening cost of living, which he said had made it increasingly difficult for teachers to support their families while carrying out their responsibilities.

In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said he remained grateful to the teachers who shaped his early life and education.

“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,” he said.

Atiku said the economic hardship confronting teachers had become particularly troubling, noting that some were struggling with transportation costs and even resorting to buying food on credit to provide for their families.

“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,” he said.

He argued that the welfare of teachers should be a priority for any government that genuinely values education and national development.

“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,” Atiku said.

The former vice president also took aim at Tinubu, questioning the President’s connection to the teachers and classmates who played a role in his formative years.

“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,” Atiku said.

He described teachers as “the architects of every nation’s future,” arguing that a leader who could not remember those who contributed to his education might struggle to understand the sacrifices teachers make.

“If he cannot honour the people who helped shape him, how can he understand the sacrifices teachers make today?” he asked.

Atiku said teachers were being asked to continue performing their duties despite rising costs of food, transportation, rent and electricity, while their incomes struggled to keep pace.

“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,” he said.

He called for better working conditions, reliable support and economic policies that would make life more affordable for teachers and other Nigerians.

“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.

Speaking as an educationist and founder of the American University of Nigeria, Atiku said he understood the dedication required of teachers and described them as builders of confidence, knowledge and opportunity.

He said Nigeria could not secure its future while neglecting those responsible for educating its children.

“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,” he said.

Atiku promised that an ADC-led government would pursue policies aimed at reducing the cost of living, supporting decent jobs and ensuring that hard work could provide Nigerians with a dignified life.

He thanked teachers across the country for their service and urged the government to move beyond ceremonial praise by providing meaningful support and better welfare for educators.