"Our Children Are Out of School, We Can’t Afford Fuel" — Lecturers Lament as NYSC Members Earn More Than Them in Kaduna

By: Israel Adeleke

OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered from Arewa PUNCH, that academic staff in Kaduna State are expressing outrage over what they describe as an alarming disparity in remuneration, as it emerges that serving members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) posted to some tertiary institutions in the state now earn more than full-time lecturers.

OTN News further reports as gathered that the Lecturers at Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, and the Kaduna State College of Education, Gidan Waya, are among those voicing frustration over what they call a “shameful and insulting” development.

Investigations by Arewa PUNCH reveal that NYSC members receive up to ₦77,000 monthly, combining federal stipends with local allowances whereas some lecturers reportedly earn as little as ₦63,000 to ₦65,000, despite years of experience and full-time responsibilities.

“This is disheartening. How do you expect a family man with over 10 years of experience to survive on ₦65,000 in this economy?” a lecturer at Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic asked, requesting anonymity.

At the College of Education, Gidan Waya, staff report growing resignations, as qualified educators leave en masse for better opportunities elsewhere. “We are the ones training these corps members, yet they’re paid more than us. What message is the government sending to the academic community?” another lecturer queried bitterly.

A deeper probe into the institutions shows that a Lecturer III with over five years of service earns just around ₦80,000, while newly recruited lecturers are placed on stagnated salaries as low as ₦63,000. This has sparked concerns about low morale, staff attrition, and deteriorating educational quality.

“We’ve lost many staff recently—Genesis, Nathan, Simeon, Nura, they’ve all moved to Kaduna State University. Some just resigned and never came back. Dr. Philip Hayab left abruptly after his study leave,” one lecturer recounted.

The discontent has spilled onto social media, with one viral Facebook post by an academic staff member reading: “If you are an academic staff in Kaduna State College of Education Gidan Waya, you are a teacher, not a lecturer. Your take-home pay doesn’t take you home.”

OTN News observes from the report that, beyond salary woes, staff and students are decrying the dilapidated state of infrastructure at the College of Education, Gidan Waya.

A physical inspection by Arewa PUNCH confirmed that hostel blocks are now overrun by weeds, with crumbling walls, leaking roofs, and broken windows. Students reportedly no longer live on campus, opting instead for expensive accommodations off-site.

A non-academic staff member lamented, “The Kaduna State Government has refused to implement the reforms others enjoy. Salaries are static while prices keep rising.”

Transportation costs have also soared. A journey from Gidan Waya to Kaduna that cost ₦1,500 in 2022 now goes for up to ₦7,000, while local motorcycle fares have quadrupled. Basic necessities like a bag of rice now sell for ₦100,000, and sachet water has jumped from ₦100 to ₦500 per bag.

“Our cars are grounded because we can’t buy fuel. Our children are out of school. Some lecturers are sick and dying,” a distraught staff member revealed.

However, the report noted that efforts to obtain comments from the Kaduna State Ministry of Education and the management of the affected institutions proved abortive, as officials remained silent on the matter.

Furthermore, OTN News observes that a recent three-day warning strike by academic unions in the state was suspended after interventions by the Secretary to the State Government, the Governor’s Chief of Staff, and senior education officials. However, tensions remain high, and many see the suspension as merely a pause rather than a resolution.

Stakeholders across the state are now calling on Governor Uba Sani to intervene urgently and prevent what they describe as the “total collapse” of the education sector in Kaduna.