A human resources and change management expert, Yomi Fawehinmi, has blamed Nigeria’s declining education standards on the poor treatment and low value placed on teachers across the country.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE News on Saturday, Fawehinmi said that while Nigeria now marks World Teachers’ Day, the core challenges faced by teachers and the education sector remain largely ignored.
“We went from not celebrating World Teachers’ Day at all to observing it yearly. Some states use the occasion to show appreciation by giving gifts or grants, which is commendable. However, globally, teaching is still one of the most undervalued professions,” he said.
According to him, poor pay, gender inequality, and social bias have made teaching unattractive. “Someone in education earns about 25 percent less than people with the same qualifications in other sectors, even in developed countries like the United States,” Fawehinmi said.
He explained that professions dominated by women often receive less recognition and lower pay. “Look at nurses compared to doctors or air hostesses compared to pilots — gender often influences pay and respect,” he added.
Fawehinmi stressed that nations that prioritize development focus on teacher quality. “In countries like South Korea and Finland, the most intelligent students go into teaching. When you can’t get into the teacher’s college there, that’s when you consider becoming a doctor or lawyer,” he noted.
Okay News reports that the expert criticized Nigeria’s approach, where the teaching profession often attracts students with the lowest entry scores, weakening the foundation of learning. “A former minister once admitted that the lowest cut-off mark for university admission was for teacher training. It’s strange that the weakest students are the ones training our children,” he said.
Fawehinmi lamented that this misplaced priority has affected young Nigerians’ comprehension and reasoning abilities. He also cautioned parents against assuming that expensive private schools guarantee quality education. “If I pay ₦15 million for my child’s school fees and you pay ₦1 million, it doesn’t mean my child will think better. Many schools are just costly without offering better results,” he said.
He further questioned why parents pay huge sports levies when such schools fail to produce athletes capable of representing Nigeria in major competitions. “How can schools collect hundreds of thousands for sports and still not produce a single national athlete in 15 years?” he asked.
Fawehinmi urged parents to focus on learning outcomes instead of prestige, saying every child has unique gifts and needs. “Parents must understand their choices about schooling and the long-term effects. No single school can meet every child’s need,” he said.
He also advised policymakers to redefine education beyond classroom activities, explaining that true learning occurs both inside and outside the school environment. “Education is more than schooling. It’s the total shaping of human thought and values,” he stated.
Fawehinmi concluded that until Nigerian society begins to treat teachers with respect and recognize their importance, the country will continue to produce people who “can read but cannot reason.”
