Education development advocate and CEO of Educare, Alex Onyia, has called for sweeping reforms in Nigeria’s education sector, including the enforcement of stricter academic qualifications for teachers and significantly improved remuneration.
Onyia, in a series of social media posts on Monday, proposed that the minimum qualification to become a teacher in Nigeria should be a master’s degree, with a minimum of a second-class upper division (2:1) in the first degree.
“Being a teacher should be something of great pride, and the academic standards should be very high,” he said. “If I were the one in charge, I would do this.”
He also recommended a starting salary of ₦400,000 monthly, up from his earlier suggestion of ₦300,000, along with the provision of a brand-new car to be paid off by the teacher over time.
“The best should train the coming generations,” he stressed, citing Finland as an example where all primary and secondary school teachers must hold a master’s degree. “This significantly transformed their education which is one of the best globally. Their teachers are paid very well.”
Onyia further proposed a mandatory biannual licence renewal for teachers, tied to continuous training and certification exams.
The proposal, however, has drawn mixed reactions.
A social media user, Ikenna, disagreed with the requirement for a master’s degree, saying, “A bachelor’s degree holder is more than qualified to handle problems at the primary and secondary school levels. It’s not about the class of degree.”
Another user, Mikail, said implementing such a standard would disqualify more than half of schools in Nigeria, but added that trimming out substandard schools might help set better benchmarks.
J. Opara supported higher standards but called for flexibility, saying, “I think it should be a degree in Education or if you’re from a field outside education, you should do a PGD in education for one year.” He also advocated for mortgage and car loans, subsidised health care and school fees for teachers, and foreign training tied to service bonds.
Kolawole emphasised the need for practical teaching ability over academic grades. “Minimum requirement should be a proven ability to actually impart knowledge… not just good BSc and PG grades.”
Other commentators raised concerns about rural implementation and accessibility. Holly Aboh questioned the feasibility in low-income areas like rural Niger State, while Georgevin Jr. said the proposal could make education “more inaccessible.”
Some, like @MsIfyAmana, called for curriculum reforms and better funding for teacher training, while Chyko stressed, “Passion trumps certificates every day, twice on Sunday.”
Adégòkè also recommended more focused B.Ed programs over master’s degrees and added, “₦300k/month for teachers with Masters Degrees? The pay should reflect the value they bring.”
Onyia, however, remained firm on his position, stating, “Within a year, Nigeria education will be transformed” if the proposed measures are implemented.
