The Federal Government of Nigeria has assured teachers of its massive support to enhance their welfare, professional development, and working conditions. This assurance was given by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during the 2026 World Teachers' Day celebration and President's Teachers' and Schools' Excellence Awards ceremony in Abuja. The event, themed "Standing with Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing its Status and Shaping our Futures," highlighted the importance of sustained investment in teachers amid rapid technological advancements and changes in the education sector.
Dr. Alausa emphasized that teachers deserve professional respect, opportunities for career progression, adequate resources, fair recognition, and conducive working conditions to provide quality education. He noted that rapid technological growth and artificial intelligence are transforming how knowledge is accessed and utilized, stressing the need to equip teachers with the skills required to use emerging technologies responsibly and confidently. According to him, technology can complement teaching and enhance learning but cannot replace the judgment, encouragement, and human connection offered by skilled teachers.
The Minister of Education stated that the Federal Government's education renewal initiatives under President Bola Tinubu aim to improve learning environments, strengthen institutions, provide skills required for a changing economy, ensure reliable data for policy decisions, and enhance teachers' welfare and professional development. He said the government would continue to work with state governments, school administrators, professional associations, organized labor, development partners, communities, and parents to improve the conditions under which teachers work.
Dr. Alausa described the President's Teachers' and Schools' Excellence Awards as an avenue for recognizing teachers, school administrators, and schools that have demonstrated professionalism, innovation, and leadership. He congratulated the award recipients and urged them to maintain the standards that earned them recognition, assuring other teachers that their contributions to the development of Nigerian children remained valued. The minister also acknowledged that the Federal Government cannot strengthen the teaching profession alone, stressing the importance of sustained collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Audu Amba, represented by the National Deputy President, Kizito Kalu, called for stronger measures to improve teachers' welfare, working conditions, and professional standing. Amba described teachers as critical agents of social and economic development and called for the implementation of the special salary scale for teachers approved in 2022. He also advocated for the recruitment and retention of qualified teachers, continuous professional development, improved teaching resources, and enhanced security for teachers and pupils.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Abel Enitan, said teachers remained central to the development of Nigeria's human capital and the effectiveness of public institutions. He stated that the Federal Government was strengthening teacher professionalization through an accelerated pathway towards qualified, certified, and licensed teaching. Enitan added that the harmonized retirement age for teachers had been implemented, while the process of recruiting and permanently absorbing more than 3,035 Parent-Teacher Association teachers was nearing completion.
The ceremony also featured the presentation of awards to outstanding individuals and states, with Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, receiving the Federal Government's Most Outstanding Governor in Contribution to Education award. Aiyedatiwa dedicated the award to teachers across Ondo State, describing their daily sacrifices as foundational to the state's development. Other outstanding teachers were also presented with various prizes in recognition of their contributions to education.
Key points
- The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving teachers' welfare, professional development, and working conditions in Nigeria.
- The government has initiated education renewal programs to improve learning environments, strengthen institutions, and enhance teachers' welfare.
- Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, received the Federal Government's Most Outstanding Governor in Contribution to Education award.
