sample cover letter for teaching job in nigeria

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How to Write an Application Letter for a Teaching Job in Nigeria

The education sector is one of our biggest employers here in Nigeria. Young people are encouraged to attend schools where they can lay the foundation of a successful life-which is okay. For some people, teaching is a career that they would love to explore.

But to become a teacher you have to land that job first. And it all begins with your application letter so you don’t want to mess that bit up.

If you are looking for a step by step guide on how you can craft a compelling application for a teaching position, this article would show you how you can do this in simple steps. All you have to do is relax and read this article to find out.

Table of Contents

Steps to Take Before Writing Your Application Letter

Your teaching job application letter is a chance to show the school that you are capable of doing the job. This is quite different from writing your Cv as a teacher.

What do good schools look out for in a teacher?

The first step is to determine what the school wants from a teacher. Typically, most schools would prefer to employ teachers who have a combination of a set of soft and hard skills. Among these skills some key ones include;

Communication skills
Hard skills in the relevant subject areas
Classroom management
Curriculum design and delivery

Your application letter is an opportunity to show that you have these qualities. In addition, schools want teachers that have certain behavioural attributes that make them a good model to students. Such attributes include; self discipline, integrity, and modesty.

How to Write your Application Letter for a Teaching Job

Let us go over the important steps you should take when writing your application letter.

Step 1: State your current address

Start your letter by writing your current address. Your address should reveal that you can access the school from where you live. It should also show that you meet any necessary location requirements. For example, if the school has stated in their vacancy advertisement that they prefer someone living in a certain location, ideally, your address should show that you meet that requirement.

Step 2: Write the school’s address

Before writing an application letter, you should know a thing or two about your potential employer, especially the address of the school and the job title of the person who would be receiving your application.

You need to conduct some research about the school to get this information. Once you have the information, make sure to include the correct address of the school in your letter. Usually, it is written just below the Job title of the school staff responsible to which your letter would be addressed.

Step 3: Address the correct recipient

It is important to connect emotionally with whoever is reading your letter. As much as possible, and without sounding informal, they have to feel you are speaking to them and that you understand what they want.

You have to know the job title and name. If you don’t know the name then you should at least confirm the gender. Include such when addressing the letter.

Step 4: Start on a positive note

The best gift you can give to the person reading your application is going straight to the point. Don’t beat around the bush with unnecessary pleasantries. State why you are writing the application and the most important qualifications you have which prove that you are qualified to apply. Remember to keep this section brief.

Step 5: Talk about your experience, qualification and skills

This is probably the most important aspect of the letter. Talk about your educational qualifications and work experience. This does not mean you need to state your entire educational history or detail every single job you ever did in your life.

State the most relevant qualifications and experiences you have. Let the reader know how exactly these qualifications and experiences make you the most suited for the job.

You also have to give strong reasons why you are interested in the teaching job. Show that you are genuinely passionate about the job and the teaching profession in general.

Step 6: Conclude on a positive note

When concluding your letter, express gratitude for being considered for the role. You can state that you are looking forward to getting a response from the school. This is a way to show that you are genuinely interested in the role.

Stating that you are willing to be contacted for further details creates the impression that you are being transparent.

Step 7: Leave your contact details at the end of the letter

Make it easy for the recipient of the letter to contact you by leaving your phone number and email address at the end of the letter. This might not be necessary if you have already included it elsewhere in your letter.

Pitfalls to avoid

Now, let us go over some mistakes you should avoid when writing your letter.

Grammatical errors

A teacher has to be a good model to students. You also need to have good communication skills to pass on knowledge to students. Having grammatical errors in your letter is unacceptable because you can’t give what you don’t have.

If you can’t communicate well, how can you be trusted to train students to be effective communicators? Note that students learn from the teacher’s behavioural patterns, not just the subjects they teach.

To avoid this, ensure you review and edit your application letter properly before turning it in. If possible, give it to someone trusted to read before you submit it.

Lack of Originality

Don’t copy and paste the application letter of others. It shows a lack of depth and can make you come off as inauthentic and even dishonest.

Take the time to write your application letter yourself. If you are writing to someone who doesn’t know you personally it is important to leave the impression that you are creative and have some imagination of your own.

Negativity and criticism

Don’t criticise anyone in your letter. You can’t easily predict the worldviews of the person who would be reading your letter so it is important to be careful. Statements criticising the government or previous employers might be harmful to your application.

Avoid making claims that you can’t back up. It is as simple as that. If you are invited for an interview, most interviewers want to verify that you are who you say you are. Being dishonest in your application can cause you embarrassment as a liar.

Unnecessary details

Don’t bore your employer with your personal stories or details about your life challenges. Going into such details can make you seem desperate and most importantly they reveal that you are only interested in getting paid so that you can solve your problems.

Sample of teacher job application letter

Check out a sample of a standard application letter for teaching job below.