The President, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima during the 2023 World Teachers’ Day commemoration held at Eagle Square, Abuja, acknowledged the challenges facing Nigerian teachers, including overcrowded classrooms, limited resources, and limited opportunities for professional development, which he attributed to the prolonged neglect of the teaching profession.

In his keynote address titled “Teacher Appreciation: Nurturing Minds, Changing Lives,” Vice President Shettima emphasized the critical role of education in Nigeria’s future and the need to empower teachers to provide quality education.

He stated that investment in education is essential for building a nation capable of fostering international cooperation, addressing global challenges, and achieving sustainable development.

President Tinubu expressed the nation’s gratitude to Nigerian teachers and assured them that their profession is a cornerstone of the nation’s vision and development agenda.

He announced a policy initiative, the Harmonized Retirement Age of Teachers in Nigeria Act 2022, which allows dedicated teachers to serve for up to 40 years or until reaching the age of 65, with a focus on equipping educators with contemporary teaching skills, including proficiency in information technology.

The President highlighted the evolving role of teachers, who are now expected to be technologically adept, adaptable, and innovative in preparing students for an evolving job market.

He emphasized the government’s commitment to modernizing educational infrastructure and harnessing the potential of new learning technologies, including artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual classrooms, to revolutionize the education sector.

President Tinubu’s remarks underscore the importance of valuing and investing in teachers to ensure the quality of education and the nation’s development.

This came as it urged teachers in Sub-Saharan Africa to submit applications for the 2023 MSII SDG Challenge with creative educational projects.

Practicing teachers from anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa may enter the challenge to get exclusive access to mentoring, training, and useful networking possibilities.

The program, according to a statement released by the organization on Thursday, is designed to help instructors create innovative community projects that are focused on high-quality education and gender equality.

The statement read, “Application for Cohort 3 of the MSII SDG Challenge is now open to teachers who believe that education is the key to innovation and are passionate enough to develop solutions that improve the African education system for the better.”

The statement noted that teachers selected to participate in the MSII SDG Challenge will receive an initial grant of $2,000 for their projects, go through a comprehensive incubation programme and will be further considered for a follow-up grant of up to $10,000 and an accelerator opportunity.  

In addition, all accepted teachers will acquire access to the 1 million teachers platform,  a unique platform with access to high-quality teaching resources to boost their project and teaching outcomes.

It added, “Interested participants can apply for Cohort 3 of the MSII SDG Challenge by visiting  www.msiisdg.org. The deadline for submission of applications is May 20, 2023.”

According to a reliable source, those present at the meeting are police officers, officials of the Education Quality Assurance and that of the Directorate of Public Prosecution, Chrisland school authorities including the affected teachers, parents of the affected students, Channels Television reports.

The source further said that no student was sighted as against the earlier scheduled invitation by the police for all parties involved to report to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, for detailed investigations.

A mother had alleged that her daughter was sexually abused during the school’s participation in the World School Games at Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Though the school management said the female pupil was among 76 pupils that represented the school at the Dubai event, which was held between March 8 and 14, 2022, it said the allegation of rape was false.

Rather, the school located in the Victoria Garden City area of the state said two pupils of the school engaged in what the school described as “sexual misconduct” in a game called ‘Truth or Dare,’ when the act occurred after lights out.

The school authorities subsequently suspended the female student (name withheld) indefinitely, stating that she was “a major actor” in the “immoral act”.

The UNICEF’s Education Manager, Mrs Manar Ahmed, stated this at a presentation on ‘Scaling Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in Nigeria’ held in Kano on Friday.

The two-day Media Dialogue on SDGs was aimed at promoting, protecting, advocating and collaborating with stakeholders for the realisation of children’s rights in the country.

Ahmed said that tackling teachers’ training was not enough but also ensuring action plans for improving teaching and learning in the right environment.

According to her, Nigeria is not lacking the right policy but the country’s staggering learning crisis is one of the lowest globally.

“In sub-Saharan Africa, 87 per cent of children are in learning poverty as they do not have basic literacy by age 10.

“Goal four of the SDGs is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education that promotes lifelong learning and all children by age 10 must know how to read and solve numeracy.

“It is not that Nigeria lacks the right policy but Nigeria is facing a staggering crisis with learning outcomes being one of the lowest.

“So, 70 per cent of the children in school are not achieving basic foundational skills,” she said.

She added that 27 per cent of teaching staff in Nigeria was unqualified as qualified teachers were in short supply.

She also said there was a need to learn to read in order to read to learn to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

“We need to do more in the structural approach of learning, and community engagement in ensuring accountability.

“Structural approach is best for the training of teachers, so on-the-job training as well as creating the right environment is important,” she said.

She, therefore, commended the country for her role in making the huge changes since 2017 when the national assessment of learning outcomes was carried out.

She said more is needed to be done to achieve the 17 goals of the SDGs by 2030 as government allocation to education must be increased.

InsideOjodu reported that the Federal Executive Council, FEC in a meeting on Wednesday presided by President Muhammadu approved the Teachers Bill, 2021 which proposes the retirement age for teachers in Nigeria from 60 years to 65 years.

Prior to the approval of the new retirement age and years of service by the President, the retirement age of teachers in the country was 60 years or 35 years in service.

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu disclosed this on Thursday at the 2020 ministerial briefing in Abuja.

He, however, said that there would not be a uniform take-off date for all the other policies approved by President Muhammadu Buhari at the 2020 World Teachers Day.

He said that effective dates for other policies would be announced subsequently after the submission of the report of the National Coordinating Committee.

The gesture was as a form of reward for teachers’ dedication to duty and also to attract more people to the profession.

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the meeting on Wednesday.

The bill titled Harmonized Retirement Age for Teachers Bill, 2021 was approved at the meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari and sent to the National Assembly for its consideration and approval.

The retirement age of teachers will move from 60 years to 65 while the years of service will also move from 35 to 40 if the bill is approved by the National Assembly.

Adamu said the bill would give legal backing to new measures by the current administration to enhance the teaching profession in the country.

The minister also listed the introduction of bursary award, special rural posting allowances and other measures as some highlights of the bill.

The Head, Public Affairs Unit, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr. Kayode Abayomi,  who quoted the Education Commissioner Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo in a statement said the seminar which held virtually with the theme; “Mitigating Strategies against Erosion in the Education Sector” was to upgrade the teachers’ skills for resumption.

“The objective is to remain relevant and productive during the Post-COVID era, hence the urgent need to equip our teachers with necessary skills to face and overcome challenges posed by the pandemic becomes imperative,” she said.

Mrs. Adefisayo also advised that in order for teachers to manage pupils when they return to the classroom, they will need to consider the challenges they may have faced during the long stay from school.

She said some of them may have experienced hunger, sexual abuse, domestic violence, emotional, social, and psychological vices, urging the teachers to show love to and reassure their pupils that this phase cannot hinder their bright future.

The training covered three key areas – “Graphology – An Essential Tool in Predictive Learning,” “Effective Communication for developing, maintaining an all-round stable learner” and “Child’s Right, Laws (Where to Find Help for the Unstable Learner).”

Mrs. Oyefunke Ojo-Adepoju, the retiring Principal who gave the charge at her exit ceremony held at Babs Fafunwa Millenium Senior Grammar School, Ojodu, Ikeja, stated that the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission, being a purveyor of excellence will continue to promote decency in schools across the State.

She pointed out that the State Government is desirous of providing the right environment for teachers across the state to influence the life of school children positively, noting that tutors must, therefore, balance their efforts with professional conduct.

“Having realised the significance of education towards building responsible, competent, truthful and resourceful citizens, the State Government has given priority to the educational sector in the THEMES Agenda”, she revealed.

While appreciating the State Government for the privilege to serve the people, she said the educational system will continue to be a conduit to achieving the overall development and growth of the country.

Speaking further, the foremost school administrator said, during her 35 years in service, the educational system in the State has witnessed tremendous improvement, adding that she foresees a system that will be dignified by its product.

Mrs. Ojo-Adepoju, who is a graduate of the University of Ilorin started her work career as a Teacher at the then Ogba Grammar School and rose to become the Tutor and Head of Department in the school in 1995. She also spent a few years as a classroom teacher at State High School, Oko-Oba and Ijaye Ojokoro Senior High School, under Education District 1.

In 2002, she was appointed the Vice Principal of Ogba Junior Grammar School before becoming the pioneer principal of Ojodu Junior High School in 2007. She was appointed the Principal of Babs Fafunwa Millenium Senior Grammar School in 2014 and rose to become the Zonal Chairman of Ikeja ANCOPSS in the same year.

Amiable and easy-going, the retired Principal was the immediate past and the First Vice-President of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCHORPS), Lagos Chapter.

In his remark, the National Representative of Nigeria Union of Teachers, Lagos State Wing, Comrade Akintoye Hassan described the educationist as a symbol of commitment and outstanding leadership whose passion for teaching has earned her affection among colleagues.

“She is a marvellous leader, intelligent, passion-driven and a bridge builder. She has been a role model to both teachers and students, leaving indelible marks in schools that she had taught and administered.

The occasion was graced by Permanent Secretaries, School Principals, Directors in the State Education Service, Teachers and other well-wishers.