From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has rewarded outstanding teachers, head teachers and principals across the state with about N120 million as part of activities marking the 2026 World Teachers’ Day.
The governor, who made the presentation in Ilorin recently, said the gesture was aimed at recognising the sacrifices of teachers and motivating them to contribute more to the development of education in the state.
A total of 29 best principals and head teachers received N29 million, while 119 outstanding teachers shared N59.5 million. Eleven serving and retired university dons received N22 million as pioneer professorship recognition awards, while three schools won N9 million under the Best Kept School Award.
AbdulRazaq also announced plans by the state government to acquire Dangote Refinery shares for outstanding female teachers, saying the initiative was designed to promote financial inclusion and an investment culture among women.
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According to him, the government will purchase 10,000 shares for 10 female teachers in each of the outstanding public schools, while arrangements will also be made to include retired female teachers.
“Before I conclude, we have been in discussion with Dangote Foundation and this discussion is about promoting investment culture among women, financial inclusion, investment, assets and shareholding,” the governor said.
“Our hardworking women teachers in TESCOM and SUBEB will get ten shares each. We will also extend it to the retired female teachers so that peace and prosperity will go round them.”
AbdulRazaq said his administration would continue to prioritise teachers’ welfare and working conditions, citing regular promotions and the implementation of the 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Specific Allowance as some of its interventions.
“We will continue to do our part, including improving your welfare and working conditions on a sustainable basis. We are confident that you and other stakeholders will always do your part,” he said.
The governor said his administration had also focused on merit-based recruitment, continuous professional development, improved school infrastructure and the use of technology and data through the KwaraLEARN programme.
“Our objective remains clear: to build an education system that gives every child in Kwara a fair opportunity to learn, develop useful skills and compete anywhere in the world,” he said.
“The quality of education we provide today will determine the quality of Kwara we have tomorrow.”
He attributed the state’s growing successes in national and international academic competitions to the interventions in the education sector.
The Chairman of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board, Prof. Sheu Adaramaja, disclosed that the state government had approved the 2026 promotion exercise for eligible teachers, with the promotion examination scheduled for the following Saturday.
Adaramaja, who is also Dean of State SUBEB Chairmen, said Kwara would become the first state in Nigeria to conduct the 2026 promotion exercise for eligible teachers.
The state Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr Lawal Olohungbebe, said hard work deserved recognition and charged the awardees to sustain their commitment to teaching.
He assured teachers that the ministry would continue to engage stakeholders on issues concerning their welfare, professional development and working conditions.
The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, represented by Issa Habeeb, joined other stakeholders in celebrating the teachers.
The state NUT Chairman, Comrade Yusuf Agboola, commended the government for its investments in school infrastructure and teachers’ welfare, while urging the administration to adopt the national harmonised retirement age for teachers.
Former Kwara NLC Chairman and keynote speaker, Comrade Umar Farooq, urged government and other stakeholders to create an environment that would enable teachers to succeed, stressing that supporting teachers amounted to investing in children, communities and the wider society.
The APC Deputy Governorship candidate in Kwara, Hon. Seun Adato, also commended the administration for its interventions in the teaching profession and congratulated teachers on the celebration.
