A viral post on X (formerly Twitter) has triggered strong reactions after a Nigerian educator shared her experience of a private school interview that many described as exploitative, reigniting conversations about teacher welfare in Nigeria.
What the Job Offered
According to the job seeker, the school role involved:
- Teaching multiple subjects across JSS 1–3 (English, Social Studies, Basic Science)
- A workload of about 28 periods weekly
- Mandatory extra lessons from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM daily
- A total salary of ₦58,000 monthly (including extra lesson pay)
She also said she raised concerns about transport costs due to her 20-minute commute, but the response she received reportedly made the situation worse.
The HR Remark That Went Viral
When she attempted to negotiate the salary, she claims the HR manager replied:
“Walking is an exercise.”
She said she immediately stood up, collected her CV, and left the interview.
Real Online Reactions
The post gained traction quickly, with users expressing anger, sarcasm, and mixed perspectives on the situation:
“28 periods, extra lessons till 5pm, multiple subjects and 58k? Then he added motivational speaking on top 😭 You really respected yourself by leaving.” — SPACE
“The environment one resides matters a lot. I have a young girl that just finished NYSC that teaches in a primary school and her pay is around 100k. She’s just a subject teacher o.” — Olamigaju
“With how much I love teaching… their pay irritates me at times. What do you mean teachers are not meant to have a soft life?” — Michael
“You no quick comot. You waited till he added the motivational speech on top.” — Eucharia Emedo
Published by Ejoh Caleb
