Hello, my name is Tope. I live in Ajuwon area in Ifo, Ogun State. In order to make ends meet, I decided to teach in one of the private schools in my area. The name of the school is Revelation Academy. The school is very close to Ifo Market in Ogun State.
I am sure the people who know Ifo very well will know the school I am talking about. This is because it is a school that is very popular.
I started teaching in the school on January 5th, 2026. When I started, I was asked what my salary range was. I told them my salary range was N70,000 to N100,000.
Before I went for the interview, I already had it in mind that when they asked me what my salary range was, I would tell them that it was within 120,000 Naira to 150,000 Naira, but on getting to the school, I realized that they are not many in the school.
So, I decided to change my mind. So when they asked me during the interview what my salary range would be, I told them it would be within 70,000 to 100,000.
I can remember vividly, the man told me that the highest he could pay was N50,000. I had no choice but to take it. They told me about their dressing style and time of resumption and closing time and other rules that I must follow as a staff.
However, I never knew that there were more rules and regulations that they never told me. It was not until I resumed that I learned I would be writing lesson notes for the fourteen subjects that I would be teaching the primary class because I am their class teacher.
.jpeg "5 Financial Red Flags I Saw Teaching 2 Classes For 50k at a Private School In Ifo, Ogun State")
Writing lesson notes for fourteen subjects wasn't easy. Apart from this, I can't sit down or press my phone in the classroom. It now looks like I have sold my freedom for 50,000 naira.
Anyways, in this article, I want to expose 4 financial mistakes I saw from the school management while being a staff of the school.
Here we go;
1. Workload of Staff
When I started, they never told me that I would be teaching two classes. I thought maybe I would just be teaching one class. But as time went on, the management of the school was telling me that when they eventually have Primary 4 pupils, I would be taking them.
This simply means I will be writing notes for two classes and also writing two lesson notes. Sincerely, it is not funny anymore. When he told me, I didn't say anything, but I was really disturbed within.
I needed the job because, at present, that is my only source of income. If I say because of the workload, I resign, I just hope I won't be resigning back into hunger.
We eventually had some pupils for Primary 4. This is the breakdown of the total number of pupils in Primary Three and Primary Four:
Primary Three: 8 Pupils
Primary Four: 10 Pupils
Subjects per class: 14 x 2 = 28
Imagine me taking 28 subjects and teaching 18 pupils all for 50,000. Should we talk about how noisy and annoying these learners can be? They are always giving teachers issues. Some behave like they are possessed. Sincerely, teachers are trying. No wonder parents love to push their children to school so that they can rest.
I have a friend in Lagos who is only teaching Senior Secondary School Economics and he is earning above N150,000. Let's even say he is teaching three classes, that is three subjects which is the same Economics. Can we see the difference?
These schools don't know that when they bombard teachers with work, they won't be able to give their best at what they do.
To them, they feel they are smarter and wiser, but they don't know that the more they give the work of two staff to one staff because they want to make profit, it will affect the quality of the school.
The Financial Mistake: Mr. Thompson, the school administrator, thought he was wise enough to give the job of two staff to one staff. He thought he would be able to generate enough money for the school. At the end of the day, parents started complaining about a particular teacher because he doesn't mark the notes of the learners due to burnout. These teachers are not machines.
As a result of this, some parents withdrew their children from the school. The school lost more money while trying to gain money. That is the reality of life; when you don't spend when you need to spend, the output will be terrible.
2. School Money and Personal Money Wasn't Separated
The following month after I resumed with the school, a parent came to pay the sum of N80,000 for their child's school fee. Mr. Thompson, the school administrator, collected the money into his own personal account because the school does not have its own account.
A day after the school fee was paid, the school needed markers and Mr. Thompson had no choice but to remove money from the school fee that entered into his account the previous day. This is a big financial mistake.
The Financial Mistake: The second financial mistake I learned was that when an organization does not separate business account from personal account, there will be an issue when it comes to tracking the income and expenses. Business is business and personal is personal. They are two different entities.
3. Zero Investment In Teachers
Some private schools don't know that they can't survive without teachers in the school. This makes me wonder why most of these schools don't even respect teachers. In fact, they respect the learners more than the teachers.
Yes, it is the learners that are paying while the school is paying the teachers, but what they fail to know is that these learners won't gain anything without the help of the teachers.
One of the mindsets of schools is that teachers are easily replaceable, but nowadays, people are no longer interested in teaching. Finally, the table has turned to favour the teachers.
I can remember a school in my street whose name is Adullam Crest. This school has had a vacancy for the past 5 months, but nobody came to apply.
I am sure the reason why people didn't apply is mainly the low pay of teachers. This is very true. I don't know why schools don't pay much money to teachers.
Back to my school, my school just loves teasing parents with mouthwatering offers like music, computer training, phonetics and the like.
Yet, they are barely teaching these learners these things. Apart from this, they don't invest in teachers. They don't care about the growth of teachers. They don't know that they are doing themselves more harm than good. A teacher you didn't train will not be able to give you his or her best.
The Financial Mistake: The school feels that if they train teachers, it is a waste of money. Little did they know that when they train teachers, they are investing in the growth of the school. This is because whatever the teacher learns will also be used for the growth and development of the school, which is a plus for the school.
My school, "Revelation Academy," doesn't train teachers and it is affecting the school badly, but they don't know. If we tell them, they won't take us seriously.
4. No Emergency Fund for Off-Season
You know I told you earlier that the school administrator doesn't separate the school account from personal account.
This has affected the school badly to the extent that any money that comes just goes out. This makes it harder to track income and expenses.
As a result of this, during the coaching period or during the holidays, the school incurs a lot of debts simply because it is not all their learners that are coming for coaching lessons. Also, they make little or no money during the holidays and they will have to pay teachers, but unfortunately, they didn't plan for it.
The Financial Mistake: Most private schools don't budget for those times when the school will be on holiday. They ought to have budgeted the money for teachers and other expenses before those holidays approach.
As a result of their poor planning and budgeting, the school is always in debt by the time they resume because they will have to pay teachers whether the school makes a profit or not.
They are part of your payroll and you have to take care of them judiciously.
Conclusion: Teachers should start building their exit plans because teaching job is not something you do for a long time. You can never be rich with a salary.
We all know what house rents, electricity bills and other unforeseen bills cost. It costs a lot even as a single person.
Imagine a situation whereby you are married and you are earning N50,000. The money that is not even enough to feed you and your wife comfortably.
Is it in that money that you will now pay rent, pay school fees, pay other bills? Definitely, such a couple will be using debts to cover up for these expenses.
I can't even advise a married man to teach in these low-paying schools. If you want to teach as a married person, go to schools that pay teachers well or perhaps go for your master's and PhD and then apply for a lecturing job.
You can start as a graduate assistant. With time, you will grow. But let me tell you, even these lecturers that teach in these universities or higher institutions are not happy with their salaries.
My advice for every teacher is that you must start building something for yourself immediately you start your teaching work in whatever area of life you find yourself.
It is what you build today that will save you tomorrow. Use your current salary as a stepping stone to your success.
You can also invest in a skill that is in high demand. Once you master it, you can monetize it and be making some cool money on the side.
Thank you for reading!
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