No fewer than 60,000 educators from across Nigeria will converge on Lagos for this year’s teachers’ national conference.
The conference scheduled for Saturday, September 20th ahead of this year’s World Teachers’ Day will feature the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa leading other notable speakers for discussion at the forum.
Similarly, aside from the various state commissioners for education, primary and secondary school teachers, school owners and principals, teachers’ associations, NGOs, corporate organisations, as well as students from both the public and private sectors will also be part of the participants at the forum.
Addressing journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, the convener of the forum, Mr. Oluwaseyi Anifowose, who is also a teacher, highlighted the essence of the conference which has “Teachers Matter: Celebrating the role of teachers in enhancing quality education” as theme.
He said the conference is organized by the 1 Million Teachers, an international non-governmental organization, biased in teachers’ capacity development.
According to him, this conference will be the largest gathering of educators under one roof in history globally.
Anifowose, who is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at I Million Teachers, explained that “The gathering is not only about setting a historic record but about shining a spotlight on the global importance of teachers and advocating for much-needed reforms in the profession in Nigeria.
According to him, the event, which will take place at Tafawa Balewa Square on Lagos Island, aims to provide a platform to discuss the challenges facing educators and promote innovative solutions to improve the quality of education in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
He said, “It is believed that education is a powerful tool to transform lives and societies and also to develop the nations and that except Nigeria gives teaching profession and the education sector generally a deserved attention, it will continue to find it difficult to experience true economic prosperity.
He said that was why this year’s conference promises to be the most impactful as it will be a gathering of visionary educators, thought leaders, innovators, and policymakers to drive conversations, collaborations and commitments that would rightly shape the future of Nigeria’s education sector.
He added that some educators, who have gone beyond the call of duty to inspire positive change with their jobs, would be honored with excellence awards at the event, noting that the state governments, school owners and teachers’ associations will help in their selections.
In his opening remark earlier via Zoom, the CEO of I Million Teachers, Hakeem Subair, expressed his passion for making the teaching profession in Nigeria attractive to the best brains and not to people who only come into the profession by chance.
He said that is why he is using the 1 Million Teachers platform to invest in teachers’ training, support and celebration of those who have broken barriers and through that inspired many competent newcomers and encouraged healthy competition in the profession.
He disclosed that the projection of his organisation is to train no fewer than one million teachers in Nigeria by 2030, a target he assured of surpassing.
In their separate remarks, the representatives of the tutors-general\permanent secretaries of Lagos State Education Districts 1, 3, 4 and 6, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Oloke; Mrs. Folashade Adewuyi; Mr. Abiodun Oyeshola and Mrs. Omofolu Osho respectively, expressed delight for the forthcoming teachers’ conference, promising the state government’s readiness to fully support and participate in the programme.
They said the state government is always ready to embrace initiatives that can add substantial value not only to the teaching profession but to the education sector generally.
Also speaking, Mrs Sola Sogebra, from Edusko Africa, re-echoed the importance of the conference, saying it’s to drive positive change in the teaching profession and education generally in the country.
She opined that it is high time Nigeria made the teaching profession attractive to the best brains and not an all-comers’ affair.
According to her, teaching is the mother of all professions and no nation can rise above the quality of its teachers, hence the essence of the conference.
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