By Anifowoshe Oladipupo
Prominent education advocate and CEO of Educare, Alex Onyia, has proposed bold reforms aimed at revamping Nigeria’s ailing education system; starting with demanding higher qualifications and better pay for teachers.
In a series of social media posts on Monday, Onyia insisted that the minimum requirement to become a teacher should be a master’s degree, with a second-class upper (2:1) in the first degree, arguing that “being a teacher should be something of great pride.”
“If I were in charge, I’d enforce this immediately,” he wrote, while also proposing a new starting salary of ₦400,000 monthly, an upward review from his earlier suggestion of ₦300,000 — alongside the provision of a new car payable over time.
Onyia cited Finland as a success story, where every teacher holds a master’s degree and is well-paid. “The best should train the coming generations,” he emphasized, also advocating biannual licence renewal linked to continuous training and exams.
His comments have stirred debate online.
Critics argue the master’s degree requirement is excessive. A user, Ikenna, said, “A bachelor’s degree holder is more than qualified to teach at primary and secondary levels. It’s not about the class of degree.”
Another, Mikail, warned the policy could disqualify over half of Nigerian schools, but admitted that purging substandard institutions could help raise standards.
J. Opara supported raising the bar but called for flexibility. “Let’s require a degree in Education, or a one-year PGD for non-education graduates,” he suggested. He also pushed for better welfare: mortgage and car loans, subsidized health care and school fees, and foreign training tied to service bonds.
Kolawole stressed practical competence over academic results: “Minimum requirement should be proven ability to teach, not just paper qualifications.”
Others expressed concern about rural realities. Holly Aboh questioned how low-income communities in places like rural Niger State could cope. Georgevin Jr. warned the plan could worsen educational access.
Despite the backlash, Onyia’s proposal has reignited urgent conversations on education quality, teacher dignity, and the future of learning in Nigeria.
