Olympiad feat: NUT blames funding gaps for private schools’ dominance

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has challenged the Federal Government to enhance funding, infrastructure, and teacher welfare in public schools, citing the persistent dominance of private institutions in international academic competitions. NUT President Audu Amba argued that while public schools often employ highly experienced and qualified educators, inadequate learning conditions prevent students from achieving their full potential.

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You agree with me that the most experienced and most learned teachers are the teachers found in our public schools. But if you look at the learning conditions of our public schools, it speaks volumes.

Amba pointed out that the learning environments in many public schools are substandard, directly impacting students' ability to compete effectively against their private school counterparts. "You agree with me that the most experienced and most learned teachers are the teachers found in our public schools. But if you look at the learning conditions of our public schools, it speaks volumes," he stated.

Recent performances at the 2026 International STEM Olympiad in Rome highlighted this disparity, where Nigerian students, predominantly from private schools, secured numerous gold, silver, and bronze medals across various STEM fields. The participating private schools included Charles Dale Memorial International School, Children’s International School, and Bishop Okoye Spiritan Secondary School, among others.

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There are some of our public schools that do not work to be called where learning is supposed to take place. So, this could also be attributed to some of the issues that you find, such that performance naturally is not going down the way it is supposed to go.

While acknowledging that some private schools offer world-class facilities, Amba stressed that improving public schools would encourage more parents, including elites, to enroll their children in government institutions. "When you make the public school very attractive and conducive, I want to assure you that the best brains will be there," he asserted, emphasizing the need for a more equitable educational landscape.

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When you make the public school very attractive and conducive, I want to assure you that the best brains will be there.