The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools has called for stronger collaboration among teachers, parents and government to improve the quality of secondary education and support the development of Nigerian students.
The National President of ASUSS, Sola Adigun, made the call during an interactive multicast in Ado Ekiti, organised by the Ekiti State Bureau of Community Communications.
Adigun described teachers as guardians and mentors who work alongside parents and government to guide students, stressing that effective education requires shared responsibility beyond the classroom.
He urged teachers to remain committed to their profession and strive to become impactful educators capable of positively influencing the academic and personal development of their students.
The ASUSS president also appealed to parents to take greater responsibility for the welfare and upbringing of their children by providing adequate care, guidance and support.
He said students themselves must remain focused on their studies, work towards their educational goals and avoid cultism and other social vices that could undermine their future.
According to him, closer cooperation among the three major groups is essential to addressing some of the challenges confronting the education sector.
The union leader also commended the Ekiti State Government under Governor Biodun Oyebanji for its interventions in education, particularly in the areas of teachers’ welfare, infrastructure, regular payment of salaries and student welfare.
He specifically highlighted the state’s increased support under its car and housing loan scheme for workers, describing the initiative as beneficial to teachers and other public servants.
Adigun also praised the provision of free buses to transport teachers and students to schools across the state, noting that the arrangement had provided relief following the removal of the fuel subsidy.
Despite the progress, he said more government intervention was needed to sustain improvements in the education sector.
He called for continuous training and retraining of teachers to strengthen their professional capacity and enable them to respond effectively to changing educational demands.
The union also appealed for continued improvement in the payment of leave bonuses to teachers and other workers, arguing that better welfare and working conditions would complement existing reforms and support effective teaching.
The call comes against the backdrop of growing attention to the need for stronger partnerships between schools, families and government in improving learning outcomes. While teachers are responsible for classroom instruction and student guidance during school hours, parents remain central to children’s behaviour, welfare and educational support outside school.
For secondary education to produce better outcomes, the union’s position suggests that responsibility must therefore extend beyond teachers alone, with parents providing stronger home support and governments sustaining investment in teacher development, infrastructure and welfare.
