As the world marks the International Teachers’ Day, some teachers in the employ of privately-owned primary and secondary schools in Enugu metropolis want improved working condition.

Speaking with THE WHISTLER in Enugu on Monday, those interviewed alleged that they “work like cows and earn like cockroaches”.

Monday Luka teaches at a private secondary school in Independence Layout, Enugu. He said teachers, especially those working in private schools, are over-stressed.

“We wake up every day to discharge out duties under strict conditions,” says Luka. “Private schools have strict rules and regulations to ensure discipline and optimal performance of their students and pupils. The burden is always on the teachers to implement such rules. Unfortunately, the teachers are not well paid. I earn about N60, 000 a month. From that sum, I buy and wash my clothes on a daily basis. I feed my family from it too. I transport myself to school. I report to work at 7:30am daily. Any day that one defaults, one face queries. It is not funny.”

Mary Eze teaches at a private school at Trans-Ekulu. She said with the way private schools hike their fees, it would be ideal that the welfare of teachers should be taken care of.

“Pupils where I teach pay about N170,000 per term. They are many. Last term, they paid around N120, 000. Fifty thousand naira was added to the original fee this term. But our salaries remain the same. What the owners do is simply to be expanding school structures and building annexes. The welfare of the teachers is not considered. Most teachers in private schools are looking for other jobs.”

A school proprietor, Emmanuel Egbugo, agreed that teachers are not well paid. He said, “It is not just only private schools; even public schools share the same blame. A part of the cause of the poor remuneration for private school teachers is because many people are looking for jobs. We try our best, but we don’t lack teachers. Once you advertise, they cluster you with curriculum vitae. Nonetheless, not all private school owners are greedy. Some pay very well. Our major problem is that some parents keep pleading that they don’t have money. Not all pupils and students you in private schools pay. Many of them owe us.”

An education consultant, Hyginus Okoye, called for setting up of minimum welfare standards for teachers. “Government can state what each teacher should earn: whether in private and public schools. In the case of private schools, parents can be involved in completing what owners can afford. That should also be determined by the amount charged by the owners. Invariably, when the school fees are higher, such should reflect on the living standards of the teachers. The problem is that school owners are insatiable. They want to expand all the time. Some open businesses here and there. It is more of exploitation.”

A retired teacher, Jemima Ogbodo, charged parents to appreciate their children’s teachers in private schools considering the enormity of work they perform. “Teachers are the builders of tomorrow. But they remain unsung heroes. Parents through parent-teacher associations should get involved in the welfare of the teachers moulding their children. It is not enough to pay school fees and relax. They should check how the teachers fare. Such will motivate them to work harder,” she said.

The International Teachers’ Day is celebrated every 5th October in commemoration of the work of teachers. It was instituted in 1994 to herald the signing of recommendations by the International Labour Organisation and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

As the world marks the International Teachers’ Day, some teachers in the employ of privately-owned primary and secondary schools in Enugu metropolis want improved working condition.

Speaking with THE WHISTLER in Enugu on Monday, those interviewed alleged that they “work like cows and earn like cockroaches”.

Monday Luka teaches at a private secondary school in Independence Layout, Enugu. He said teachers, especially those working in private schools, are over-stressed.

“We wake up every day to discharge out duties under strict conditions,” says Luka. “Private schools have strict rules and regulations to ensure discipline and optimal performance of their students and pupils. The burden is always on the teachers to implement such rules. Unfortunately, the teachers are not well paid. I earn about N60, 000 a month. From that sum, I buy and wash my clothes on a daily basis. I feed my family from it too. I transport myself to school. I report to work at 7:30am daily. Any day that one defaults, one face queries. It is not funny.”

Mary Eze teaches at a private school at Trans-Ekulu. She said with the way private schools hike their fees, it would be ideal that the welfare of teachers should be taken care of.

“Pupils where I teach pay about N170,000 per term. They are many. Last term, they paid around N120, 000. Fifty thousand naira was added to the original fee this term. But our salaries remain the same. What the owners do is simply to be expanding school structures and building annexes. The welfare of the teachers is not considered. Most teachers in private schools are looking for other jobs.”

A school proprietor, Emmanuel Egbugo, agreed that teachers are not well paid. He said, “It is not just only private schools; even public schools share the same blame. A part of the cause of the poor remuneration for private school teachers is because many people are looking for jobs. We try our best, but we don’t lack teachers. Once you advertise, they cluster you with curriculum vitae. Nonetheless, not all private school owners are greedy. Some pay very well. Our major problem is that some parents keep pleading that they don’t have money. Not all pupils and students you in private schools pay. Many of them owe us.”

An education consultant, Hyginus Okoye, called for setting up of minimum welfare standards for teachers. “Government can state what each teacher should earn: whether in private and public schools. In the case of private schools, parents can be involved in completing what owners can afford. That should also be determined by the amount charged by the owners. Invariably, when the school fees are higher, such should reflect on the living standards of the teachers. The problem is that school owners are insatiable. They want to expand all the time. Some open businesses here and there. It is more of exploitation.”

A retired teacher, Jemima Ogbodo, charged parents to appreciate their children’s teachers in private schools considering the enormity of work they perform. “Teachers are the builders of tomorrow. But they remain unsung heroes. Parents through parent-teacher associations should get involved in the welfare of the teachers moulding their children. It is not enough to pay school fees and relax. They should check how the teachers fare. Such will motivate them to work harder,” she said.

The International Teachers’ Day is celebrated every 5th October in commemoration of the work of teachers. It was instituted in 1994 to herald the signing of recommendations by the International Labour Organisation and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

As the world marks the International Teachers’ Day, some teachers in the employ of privately-owned primary and secondary schools in Enugu metropolis want improved working condition.

Speaking with THE WHISTLER in Enugu on Monday, those interviewed alleged that they “work like cows and earn like cockroaches”.

Monday Luka teaches at a private secondary school in Independence Layout, Enugu. He said teachers, especially those working in private schools, are over-stressed.

“We wake up every day to discharge out duties under strict conditions,” says Luka. “Private schools have strict rules and regulations to ensure discipline and optimal performance of their students and pupils. The burden is always on the teachers to implement such rules. Unfortunately, the teachers are not well paid. I earn about N60, 000 a month. From that sum, I buy and wash my clothes on a daily basis. I feed my family from it too. I transport myself to school. I report to work at 7:30am daily. Any day that one defaults, one face queries. It is not funny.”

Mary Eze teaches at a private school at Trans-Ekulu. She said with the way private schools hike their fees, it would be ideal that the welfare of teachers should be taken care of.

“Pupils where I teach pay about N170,000 per term. They are many. Last term, they paid around N120, 000. Fifty thousand naira was added to the original fee this term. But our salaries remain the same. What the owners do is simply to be expanding school structures and building annexes. The welfare of the teachers is not considered. Most teachers in private schools are looking for other jobs.”

A school proprietor, Emmanuel Egbugo, agreed that teachers are not well paid. He said, “It is not just only private schools; even public schools share the same blame. A part of the cause of the poor remuneration for private school teachers is because many people are looking for jobs. We try our best, but we don’t lack teachers. Once you advertise, they cluster you with curriculum vitae. Nonetheless, not all private school owners are greedy. Some pay very well. Our major problem is that some parents keep pleading that they don’t have money. Not all pupils and students you in private schools pay. Many of them owe us.”

An education consultant, Hyginus Okoye, called for setting up of minimum welfare standards for teachers. “Government can state what each teacher should earn: whether in private and public schools. In the case of private schools, parents can be involved in completing what owners can afford. That should also be determined by the amount charged by the owners. Invariably, when the school fees are higher, such should reflect on the living standards of the teachers. The problem is that school owners are insatiable. They want to expand all the time. Some open businesses here and there. It is more of exploitation.”

A retired teacher, Jemima Ogbodo, charged parents to appreciate their children’s teachers in private schools considering the enormity of work they perform. “Teachers are the builders of tomorrow. But they remain unsung heroes. Parents through parent-teacher associations should get involved in the welfare of the teachers moulding their children. It is not enough to pay school fees and relax. They should check how the teachers fare. Such will motivate them to work harder,” she said.

The International Teachers’ Day is celebrated every 5th October in commemoration of the work of teachers. It was instituted in 1994 to herald the signing of recommendations by the International Labour Organisation and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.