Private school teachers open up on daily struggles amid N10,000 monthly salary

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Historically, teaching was regarded as one of the most esteemed professions one could pursue. Teachers were regarded as the shapers of society since every professional underwent the guidance of a teacher.

Nevertheless, educators, particularly in private institutions, have come to be regarded as the lowest members of society.

In Jos, the capital of Plateau State, private school teachers have become mere tools for school proprietors, who use and discard them at will.

They endure difficult low-income circumstances and inadequate work conditions, which underscores their quiet battles; yet their resilience demonstrates that they would thrive if provided with suitable working conditions.

While private schools in Jos have become the largest employers, with many emerging on nearly every street, the teachers they hire are suffering due to inadequate salaries and compensation.

ZINGTIE’s findings indicate that certain private schools offer monthly salaries of N10,000 to N25,000 to holders of NCE, HND, BSc, and Master’s degrees, with no salary increase for the teacher over the next five to ten years.

Teaching in a private school has thus turned into a mere stopgap for teachers who are just biding their time until an opportunity arises, at which point they leave.

Certain educators who conversed with ZINGTIE about their unnoticed battles in the effort to construct their students’ futures indicated that they feel ‘imprisoned’ for the majority of the hours from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and that their monthly remuneration is meager, insufficient to last a week.

They are primarily assigned to teach from JSS1 to SS3, and as anticipated, these teachers, who work long hours for low pay, are unable to perform at their best. This is a factor in the decline of educational standards in the state.

The school proprietors also do not contribute positively in any way.

Teachers who begin to complain and pose inquiries are nearly instantaneously relieved and substituted.

Teachers working at construction sites, farms, and even illegal mining operations to supplement their meager earnings has become a common sight.

Several teachers from private schools disclosed that they had no choice but to bear the difficulties while hoping for brighter days to come.

Ezekiel Atangs, a private school teacher for more than 15 years, was the first to speak.

He said, “I have been teaching in private schools for the past 15 years and I can say that my experiences have never been palatable. Where I am currently working is my third but the story has been the same.

“I have been here for the past four years on a N15,000 salary. There has never been an increment and anytime we approach the proprietor for an increase, she will tell us that anyone who is not happy with the salary can leave.

“I have a wife and three children, so I have to engage in menial labour to augment the stipend I get from my teaching job. When I close and during weekends, I go to construction sites to work. If not, my family will starve.”

Leonard Bagudu’s tale mirrors that of others.

“I have an NCE and I’ve been teaching in a private school for the past eight years on a salary of N12,000 with no hope of a change in the near future.

“I teach JSS3 to SS3, yet I am not happy. Imagine resuming work at 7am and teaching all round till 3pm, yet you are paid a paltry sum. I can tell you that no private school teacher in Jos is happy due to the poor salaries we get,” he disclosed.

A proprietor of a school, who addressed the issue of teachers’ inadequate remuneration, asserted that their only option was to pay what they could afford.

“Yes, there is no doubt the salary of private school teachers is poor but there is nothing much we can do about it. Everyone knows the current economic situation in the country and we barely survive or break even after paying levies to the state ministry of education and other relevant authorities.

“Some parents also do not help matters as they don’t pay their children’s fees on time and this too affects what we manage to pay our teachers.

“Many people think we proprietors are the ones enjoying it, but I can tell you that we barely break even,” he narrated.

An anonymous assistant director in the Plateau State Ministry of Education, however, mentioned that the ministry has limited options since the government does not regulate private school salaries.

According to him, “We have had complaints of poor salaries paid by private schools but there is nothing the ministry can do because they are regulated by the government.

“Private schools, just like other private organizations, are at liberty to negotiate their salary structure with their staff but all we have been telling them is to be fair to their employees.

“We have heard of private school teachers being paid as low as N10,000 or N15,000 and we have been talking with them to find a balance and raise these salaries.”

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