The Federal Government has pledged to strengthen teachers’ welfare, professional development and working conditions as part of efforts to reposition the teaching profession and improve learning outcomes across the country.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made the commitment on Monday in Abuja at the 2026 World Teachers’ Day commemoration and President’s Teachers’ and Schools’ Excellence Awards ceremony, with the theme, “Protecting and Advancing the Status of the Teaching Profession in a Rapidly Changing World.”
Alausa said the government was committed to supporting teachers through continuous professional development while working with state governments and other stakeholders to improve the conditions under which they serve.
He said teachers deserved “professional respect, opportunities to develop throughout their careers, appropriate resources, fair recognition and good working conditions that enable them to teach well.”
The minister said the rapid advancement of technology and artificial intelligence was changing how knowledge was accessed and used, stressing that while the tools could help teachers reach learners and tailor instruction, the judgement, encouragement and human connection provided by skilled teachers remained indispensable.
“We must equip teachers to use new tools responsibly and confidently while safeguarding the standards and values of their profession,” he said.
According to him, the Federal Government’s education renewal efforts are focused on providing better learning environments, stronger institutions, skills for a changing economy, reliable data for decision-making, as well as improved teacher welfare and continued professional development.
Alausa also stressed the need to ensure that teachers, irrespective of whether they serve in urban centres or remote communities, have the tools and institutional support required to help learners succeed.
He said the government could not strengthen the teaching profession alone, noting that collaboration with state governments, school leaders, professional bodies, organised labour, development partners, communities and parents remained critical.
The minister described teachers as the foundation upon which other professions are built, noting that every doctor, engineer, scientist, entrepreneur and public servant had benefited from the work of teachers.
“Every school day, millions of Nigerian children enter classrooms carrying hopes, abilities, questions and dreams. The teachers who receive them have the extraordinary responsibility of helping these children transform potential into possibility,” he said.
Alausa also congratulated recipients of the 2026 President’s Teachers’ and Schools’ Excellence Awards, describing the recognition as an opportunity to celebrate outstanding teachers, school administrators and schools for professionalism, innovation and leadership.
He said the awards demonstrated that teaching excellence deserved national recognition, urging recipients to sustain the standards that earned them the honour and inspire others to pursue excellence.
The minister, however, emphasised that recognition should extend beyond award recipients, assuring teachers across the country that their daily contributions to educating and mentoring Nigerian children were valued.
“Your service calls for more than words of thanks on one day each year. It calls for sustained respect, investment and partnership through each day of the year,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to renew their commitment to protecting the dignity of teaching, advancing its professional standing and equipping Nigerian teachers to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
A more precise opening would be “Speaking at the event,”.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, called for stronger attention to teacher preparation, professional development and wellbeing.
Ahmad stressed that effective teaching requires more than academic and professional qualifications. She urged stakeholders to protect teachers’ dignity while creating opportunities for career advancement.
“As we live today, let this celebration carry a commitment to prepare teachers well, listen to them, protect their dignity, recognise their excellence, and give them the opportunity to improve,” she said.
On his part, the NUT National President, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, said the 60th anniversary of the ILO/UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Teachers provided an opportunity to reflect on the progress made and the challenges confronting the teaching profession.
Amba described the recommendation as an enduring guide for education planners and policymakers, particularly as teachers navigate rapid technological changes and emerging demands in the sector.
He urged stakeholders to strengthen teacher education, improve working conditions and safeguard the dignity, welfare and professional status of teachers.
The NUT president also cautioned against allowing artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to displace teachers, stressing that technology should complement their work and enhance learning.
“No education system can rise above the quality, commitment and welfare of its teachers,” Amba said.
“Technology must serve as a tool to empower teachers, enhance their effectiveness and improve learning outcomes, not as a substitute for the human connection, professional judgment, empathy and mentorship that teachers bring to the classroom,” he said.
Amba said sustained investment in teachers remained essential to building a resilient education system capable of responding effectively to changing societal and technological demands.
