Stakeholders in the education sector have renewed calls for teachers to be placed at the centre of national development, stressing that meaningful reform in the education system cannot be achieved without sustained investment in teachers’ welfare, motivation, and professional development.
The call was made on Friday in Abuja at the Let There Be Teachers Conference 2026, which brought together education stakeholders, government representatives, and development partners under the theme ‘From Record to Reform: A National HOPE Attempt for Teachers.’
The conference was organised with support from the Federal Ministry of Education.
The Convener of the conference, Oluwaseyi Anifowose, said the movement seeks to move beyond symbolic recognition of teachers to long-term structural reforms that prioritise the teaching profession.
He said, “We are in a space where a lot of people became teachers because they could not get the kind of job they wanted. But thankfully, some of us are here because we want to be teachers. We believe that once you can change one child, you are changing a generation.”
Anifowose said the focus of the initiative is not on record-breaking achievements but on restoring dignity to the teaching profession and addressing the everyday realities of teachers across the country.
Anifowose added, “Somewhere in Nigeria today, a teacher is standing in front of a class doing the best with what they have. No cameras, no applause, no recognition, just responsibility. That quiet moment, repeated across thousands of classrooms, is where, in reality, the future of this nation is being decided. Not in policy rooms alone. Not in boardrooms. But in the classrooms.”
He explained that the 2026 conference represents a shift from recognition to reform, noting that earlier engagements with government institutions and legislative stakeholders had helped shape the next phase of the initiative.
According to him, the programme will include large-scale mobilisation of teachers nationwide, alongside structured professional development and welfare-focused interventions.
The convener said, “We are not just announcing a conference. We are igniting a movement. A movement that will mobilise at least 200,000 teachers across Nigeria.
“Five thousand in every state and 20,000 in the Federal Capital Territory. Not to watch, not to clap, not to attend but to take responsibility for our classrooms, growth, and the future we shape every day.”
Anifowose further disclosed that, “Come October 2026, teachers across the nation will take the National Teachers’ Professional Pledge.”
He added that the mobilisation is intended to reposition teachers as active drivers of educational transformation rather than passive beneficiaries of policy.
The Executive Director of the initiative, Sola Adeola, said the programme aims to amplify teachers’ voices and address long-standing structural challenges in the sector.
She said, “We are here because the Nigerian teacher has been overlooked for far too long, and that must change.
“We are here because education cannot rise above the quality, visibility, and dignity of its teachers.”
Adeola said the conference marks the beginning of a broader movement aimed at transforming how teachers are recognised and supported nationally.
Also speaking, the Project Director, Rhoda Odigboh, said the initiative is focused on strengthening teacher agency and ensuring educators are included in national education reform conversations.
She said, “For us, it is about the role that teachers play in really shaping our country, and I dare say that is true.”
Odigboh added that teacher mobilisation remains central to the initiative’s structure and long-term goals, stressing that the effort seeks to elevate the profession beyond symbolic recognition.
She said, “It was once said that no nation will rise above the quality of its teachers.”
In her remarks, the Director of the College of Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Uchenna Uba, represented by Deputy Director Iyabode Alli, commended the initiative, describing it as aligned with national education priorities.
Alli said, “The Director commends the organisers for conceptualising a platform that places teachers at the centre of national development.
“It is a timely intervention that speaks directly to the fundamental truth that no educational system can rise above the quality, motivation, and revolution of its teachers.
“The initiative came at a time when we are collectively seeking solutions to improving learning outcomes and strengthening education systems. Initiatives like this provide an opportunity for reflection, collaboration, and reform.”
The education sector continues to face challenges, including low teacher morale, inadequate welfare, and limited access to continuous professional development. These issues have a direct impact on learning outcomes across schools.
As a result, there is a growing consensus that education reform must prioritise teachers, with increased focus on training, motivation, and improved working conditions to strengthen the system’s overall performance.
