The Kwara State Government has officially dismissed allegations that teachers were sidelined in the implementation of the newly approved 30% Peculiar Allowance. In a statement released on Monday, January 5, 2026, the government described the claims as spurious and misleading, clarifying that the allowance was specifically designed for core civil servants to achieve salary harmonization.
The clarification follows a peaceful protest held on Friday at the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) secretariat in Ilorin, where educators expressed dissatisfaction over what they termed discriminatory remuneration policies.
The Office of the Head of Service, through Press Secretary Okanlawon Solomon, explained that the 30% Peculiar Allowance is a Federal Government-led initiative aimed at workers in the core civil service who do not already benefit from specialized salary structures.
The government noted that other sectors, including health workers, tertiary institution staff, and judicial officers already enjoy specific professional allowances or enhanced pay scales. By this logic, teachers are excluded because they already receive the Teachers’ Specific Allowance (TSA).
“By this arrangement, workers who are already enjoying specific professional allowances are excluded from the 30 per cent Peculiar Allowance,” the statement clarified.
Contrary to reports that the TSA had been discontinued, the government maintained that teachers have consistently received allowances of 27.5% and 21% up until December 2025.
Starting in January 2026, a new structure will take effect, aligning teachers’ entitlements with their professional certifications as recognized by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN). Despite the introduction of the 30% allowance for core civil servants, the state insists that teachers’ total take-home pay remains relatively higher than that of counterparts on the same grade levels in the mainstream civil service.
The protesting teachers, led by Segun Afolabi, argue that the TSA is a statutory entitlement and should not be used as a justification to exclude them from the new Peculiar Allowance. Afolabi noted that teachers in Kwara are struggling with current economic realities and deserve equal treatment with other civil servants.
In response, the government highlighted several pro-teacher achievements since 2019, including:
– Payment of 345% of outstanding salary arrears inherited from 2016.
– Implementation of promotion arrears dating back to 2015.
– Bridging salary disparities between the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
– Restoration of annual salary increments over the past three years.
The government urged teachers to avoid public protests and instead channel grievances through the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT). It reiterated that the state reserves the right to review remuneration based on financial capacity and sustainability.
