PIC: (L-R): Representative of the Lagos State First Lady, Former Tutor-General, Education District IV, Mrs. Anike Adekanye; Chairman, Lagos State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Mrs. Mopelola Peregrino; Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Hakeem Shittu; Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun; Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat; State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Lagos State Wing, Comrade Akintoye Hassan; Executive Chairman, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, Hon. Abdullah Sesan Olowa; State Chairman, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Funmi Sesi and the State Secretary, NUT, Comrade Gbenga Ayetoba at the 2026 World Teachers’ Day Celebration, held at the NUT Pavilion, Central Business District, Agidingbi, Ikeja, on Monday.
2026 World Teachers’ Day: Sanwo-Olu Reaffirms Commitment to Teachers' Training, Capacity Development
By Our Reporter
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has restated his administration’s commitment to strengthening the education sector through sustained investment in teachers' training and capacity development.
Governor Sanwo-Olu gave the commitment on Monday at the 2026 World Teachers’ Day Celebration, themed: "Standing With Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing its Status and Shaping Our Future," held at the NUT Pavilion, Central Business District, Agidingbi, Ikeja.
Sanwo-Olu, who spoke through the Deputy Governor/Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, said the integration of technology into teaching and learning, as well as the continuous improvement of learning environments across the state, remained part of the government’s commitment to strengthening the education sector.
"The demands on teachers are changing. UNESCO and the ILO are now revising the 1966 Recommendation because teachers face pressures that did not exist then, from digital technology and climate change to inclusion, migration and displacement. The classroom of today is not the classroom of yesterday. Our teachers must be equipped for a future shaped by technology, artificial intelligence, innovation, entrepreneurship and a changing global economy.
"We will therefore continue to invest in teacher training and capacity development, promote the use of technology in teaching and learning, and improve the learning environment,” said Sanwo-Olu, urging teachers to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.
While they continue to inspire their pupils to dream, learn, create and believe in themselves, Governor Sanwo-Olu also charged education managers and school administrators to create supportive and respectful environments in which teachers can thrive.
Sanwo-Olu said that between 2023 and 2025, his administration had recruited 4,353 qualified teachers and deployed them across the state’s education districts and the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board, while also approving a fresh recruitment exercise through the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board to further strengthen the teaching workforce.
The governor added that the government had sustained its commitment to teachers’ welfare by ensuring that salaries were paid on the 23rd of every month and approving N102.5 million in housing loans for teachers.
"We will keep recruiting on merit, because our classrooms still need more teachers. Your requests on the retirement age for teachers and on the Annual Teachers’ Merit Award, these matters are receiving the attention of this government,” the governor said.
In her goodwill message, the First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who was also represented by the Former Tutor-General, Education District IV, Mrs. Anike Adekanye, commended teachers for their efforts.
She noted that Lagos stands with them, appreciates them and believes in them, adding that their contribution to the state cannot be measured by examination results alone.
"It is also measured by the doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, scientists, artists, public servants and responsible citizens who came out of your classrooms,” Ibijoke said.
In the same vein, Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun, said the narrative of the education sector in Lagos is changing through the different initiatives of the government, citing improvements in teachers’ welfare, infrastructure, teaching and learning outcomes, research and performance in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examinations.
While addressing the request of teachers on bringing back the "Teachers' Merit Awards," the commissioner disclosed that "the state government has approved the request, and teachers would soon be invited to participate in the selection process for the forthcoming merit awards."
Alli-Balogun urged them to see the recognition as a reflection of their contributions to the state’s education system.
In his Lecture, titled: "Standing With Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing its Status and Shaping Our Future," Dr. Olatoye Makaila Ayinde called for sustained investment in professional development, particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital content creation, as well as modern laboratories, smart classrooms and internet access in public schools.
Dr. Olatoye also urged the government to strengthen teacher licensing through the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), provide special bursaries and scholarships for students studying education, and involve practising teachers in curriculum design and policy formulation to ensure that educational policies reflect classroom realities.
In his Welcome Speech, the State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Lagos State Wing, Comrade Akintoye Hassan, reaffirmed the union’s commitment to maintaining a cordial and productive relationship with the Lagos State Government, assuring Governor Sanwo-Olu of its continued support and constructive engagement in the development of the education sector.
Hassan, therefore, highlighted the union's demands, which include: improved Security in Schools, the appointment of Headmaster-Generals, improved Infrastructural Facilities, Teachers’ Welfare, and the restoration of the Annual Teachers’ Merit Award, as part of measures to recognise excellence, dedication, and innovation in the teaching profession.
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