Gladness Gideon
There is growing unease among academic staff in Kaduna State following revelations that serving members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) posted to the state allegedly earn more than full-time lecturers in several of its tertiary institutions.
Lecturers at Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, and the Kaduna State College of Education, Gidan Waya, have described the situation as “insulting” and “demoralising,” citing it as a clear indicator of the state government’s persistent neglect of the educational sector.
Multiple sources confirmed that while NYSC members receive combined federal and state stipends totaling up to ₦77,000 monthly, many academic staff earn between ₦63,000 and ₦65,000, even after several years of teaching experience and service.
“This is disheartening. How do you expect a family man with over 10 years of experience to survive on ₦65,000 in this economy?” said a senior lecturer at Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal.
At the College of Education in Gidan Waya, the situation has triggered an exodus of qualified personnel, with many staff members seeking better opportunities at other institutions.
“We are training corps members who now earn more than we do,” one lecturer remarked bitterly. “What message is the government sending to educators?”
Findings reveal that Lecturer III grade staff with five or more years of service earn no more than ₦80,000, while new hires start on ₦63,000, under a wage regime that has remained unchanged for years. The disparity becomes even more glaring when compared to corps members who receive additional incentives depending on their place of primary assignment.
Beyond salaries, the physical condition of the Gidan Waya campus has worsened. Hostels are reportedly overrun with bush, cracked walls, leaking roofs, and broken windows. Students no longer live on campus due to the unsafe conditions, instead renting overpriced accommodation off-campus.
“The hostels are filled with snakes and rodents. Students now pay excessive rent just to stay off-campus. This institution meant to train future teachers is being allowed to rot,” a female senior lecturer said, declining to be named.
A non-academic staff member echoed similar sentiments, blaming the government’s refusal to implement the CONTEDISS salary structure, which is already in place in federal and some state-owned colleges of education.
“Salaries have remained static for years while inflation keeps rising. We are being pushed to the brink,” the staff member lamented.
The toll on staff welfare has been significant. Lecturers say they can no longer afford basic necessities. Fuel, school fees, food, and transportation costs have skyrocketed, worsening their financial distress.
“The cost of a trip from Gidan Waya to Kaduna has risen from ₦1,500 to ₦7,000. A bag of rice is now over ₦100,000. Our cars are grounded. Our children are out of school. Some colleagues are battling serious health issues due to stress,” said another affected lecturer.
Meanwhile, several academic staff members, including Genesis, Nathan, Simeon, Nura, and Dr. Philip Hayab, are reported to have left the institution, either transferring to Kaduna State University or resigning altogether.
A widely circulated social media post by an academic at the college summed up the frustration:
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“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.”
Local traders are also feeling the pinch. Business activities in Gidan Waya have slowed due to declining student presence and general stagnation at the institution.
“When the college was active, this town was alive. Now, students are leaving, and so is our livelihood,” said a trader, Yosi Barnabas.
Despite efforts to reach out, the Kaduna State Ministry of Education and the management of the affected institutions have not provided any official responses to inquiries.
A recent three-day warning strike by academic unions in the state was suspended following the intervention of top state government officials, including the Secretary to the State Government and the Governor’s Chief of Staff. However, staff say their core demands remain unresolved.
Students and staff alike are now calling on Governor Uba Sani to intervene urgently and rescue the state’s failing education sector from total collapse.