From 1993 to 2025: How Teachers’ Struggles Have Shaped Nigeria’s Education Landscape

When others talk about education as the backbone of society, they also often overlook who holds that backbone together: teachers. It is not possible to narrate the history of education in Nigeria in the last thirty years without taking into account the struggles and perseverance of those holding the chalkboard. From the historic strike of the teachers in 1993 to the current challenges of 2025, inadequate funding and limited resources, the history of teacher education has shaped the course of instruction in the nation.

At 1 Million Teachers (1MT), the best way to improve education is simple: invest in teachers. Through teachers training and innovative teacher education programs, we help teachers overcome the challenges that have shaped Nigeria’s education system for more than thirty years.

1993: The Strike That Ignited a Movement

The year 1993 was the turning point for Nigerian teachers. They had endured years of abandonment across the country, not only for decent salaries, but also for a degree of respect and recognition of their leadership role in determining the nation's future.. The strike revealed the system's weakness with crumbling classrooms, hardly any minimal funding for teacher education programs, and little support for professional growth.

The demands issued years ago for improved facilities, consistent teacher training, and meaningful educator training continue to be as urgent today as they were back then.

The Crisis of Teacher Shortages

Today, Nigeria is in a crisis of teacher shortages that affects the country's capacity to educate future generations. Sub-Saharan Africa is projected by UNESCO to require over 44 million teachers by 2030 to achieve universal primary and secondary education levels. Nigeria, with its population growth, bears much of this responsibility.

Mass class sizes of over 50 students per teacher make even the best educators struggle to practice the qualities of a good teacher, like patience, compassion, or individual mentoring. 

Stories of Dedication and Resilience

Despite all these, Nigerian teachers are extremely resilient. Village teachers can be seen trekking miles just to attend school. In cities, many create their own teaching materials when resources are scarce.

Others pay money out of their own pockets to take a primary teacher course, and some take online courses with certificates to sharpen their skills. Their determination is evidence that when teachers are given access to quality educators training, they can rise above the challenges around them.

How 1 Million Teachers Is Driving Change

Here at 1 Million Teachers (1MT), we recognize that government reform requires time, but teachers need immediate solutions that they can implement today. 

We create courses for Teacher development programs that empower teachers with creative and action-oriented approaches that can be implemented instantly in the classroom.

Through Online courses with certificates, teachers can acquire new expertise at their own convenience, with certifications leading to the next step in their professional advancement.

Our commitment to Course teacher education ensures ongoing development, with teachers positioned to shift and respond to evolving needs during the course of their careers.

In addition, our Educators' training and mentorship connects teachers with supportive networks and experienced guides who provide encouragement, insight, and a sense of community.

Granting access to these materials, 1MT enables teachers to envision beyond mere survival.

Shared Challenges Outside Nigeria

Nigeria’s challenges are echoed across the continent. Consider schooling in Kenya, for instance. Kenyan teachers also have crowded classrooms, low-grade equipment, and inconsistent investment in ongoing professional development. 

But Kenyan teachers, like their Nigerian colleagues, continue to press forward. They take a primary teacher course or join a professional development teacher training program to enhance their skills. Their efforts underline a shared truth across Africa: quality education rests on quality teachers, and quality teachers are made through continuous learning.

Why Teacher Training Should Take Priority

It is not too difficult to imagine school reform through new technology, infrastructure, and policies. None of that works, though, without good teachers to drive the process. A powerful teacher education program is the foundation on which all other improvements stand.

Such programs are not only about subject expertise. They cultivate the qualities of a good teacher: adaptability, empathy, leadership, and the ability to spark curiosity. With continuous teachers training and educators training, teachers gain the confidence to create classrooms that encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills every child needs for the future.

Looking to 2025 and Beyond

As we venture further into 2025, Nigeria's education system is at a crossroads. The issues are clear: enduring teacher shortages, chronic underfunding, and training programs that are no longer keeping pace with contemporary classrooms.

Initiatives such as 1 Million Teachers (1MT) are demonstrating that real change is possible. By accelerating teacher development programs and making online courses with certificates available, we can equip teachers for success.

With this type of support, teachers will no longer be forced to work around the system simply.  Rather, they will be encouraged to redefine it.

Call to action

From the 1993 strike to the packed classrooms of today, Nigeria's teachers have borne the weight of their country's future. But resilience alone is not sufficient; teachers also require respect, resources, and the ability to access actual opportunities for growth.

At 1 Million Teachers, our mission is to make that change a reality through education initiatives, teacher training, and mentorship that create lasting impact.

This year, the Let There Be Teachers Conference 2025 will bring together educators, leaders, and partners to share ideas and highlight solutions that make teaching in Nigeria and beyond even better. It is more than an event; it is a place to offer teachers not just recognition, but the means to succeed.

The time is now: improved schools and improved societies begin with an empowered teacher.