A viral social media post detailing a demanding job offer from a private school has sparked widespread debate about the poor treatment and underpayment of teachers in Nigeria.
The controversy began after an educator shared her interview experience on X (formerly Twitter), describing an overwhelming workload attached to what many online have called an “exploitative” salary.
According to the job seeker, the unnamed private school expected her to handle several subjects across multiple classes. Her responsibilities would have included teaching English Language for Junior Secondary School (JSS) 1 to 3, alongside Social Studies and Basic Science for JSS 2 and 3 students.
In addition to the academic workload, she was expected to take 28 periods weekly and conduct compulsory extra lessons from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM every day.
Despite the demanding schedule, the school reportedly offered her a monthly salary of just ₦58,000, including payment for the extra lessons.
The situation became even more shocking during salary negotiations when she raised concerns about transportation costs and the stress of commuting.
“I told him the pay is low because I’d take transport,” she wrote, “and he said walking is an exercise.”
The remark appeared to be the final straw for the applicant.
“I stood up, carried my CV, and walked out without saying anything,” she added.
The HR manager’s response has since triggered outrage online, with many Nigerians criticizing the toxic work culture and lack of empathy often experienced by workers, especially teachers.
The post quickly gained traction on social media, attracting thousands of reactions from users who supported her decision to leave the interview.
Reacting to the incident, one user identified as SPACE wrote:
“28 periods, extra lessons till 5pm, multiple subjects and 58k? Then he added motivational speaking on top 😭 You really respected yourself by leaving.”
Others pointed out that teacher salaries can vary significantly depending on the school and location. Another user, Olamigaju, shared a contrasting experience:
“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.”
The incident also reignited conversations about how little value is placed on educators despite the importance of their role in society.
“With how much I love teaching… their pay irritates me at times,” Michael wrote. “What do you mean teachers are not meant to have a soft life?”
Some commenters reacted humorously, suggesting she should have left immediately after hearing the offer.
“You no quick comot [You didn’t leave fast enough],” Eucharia Emedo joked. “You waited till he added the motivational speech on top.”
