By: Gideon Alabi
Commissioner for Investment, Trade, Industry and Cooperatives in Oyo State, Professor Solihu Adelabu, has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on teacher education and welfare.
Professor Adelabu made the call in a lecture at the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration held at Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan, on Monday.
Teachers across the state gathered to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the UNESCO and ILO Recommendation concerning the status of teachers adopted on October 5, 1966. The theme of this year’s celebration was ‘Standing with Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing its Status and Shaping our Future.’
In his presentation, Professor Adelabu highlighted major issues affecting the efficiency of the teaching profession globally and particularly in Nigeria, noting that the country is facing many crises in the education sector.
“I call on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on teacher education and welfare. If the Federal Government can declare a state of emergency on teacher welfare, we will see development in this country,” he said.
Quoting UNESCO, the Oyo State former education commissioner disclosed that, the world needs an estimated 44 million primary and secondary school teachers to achieve universal education.
He identified poor remuneration, lack of basic amenities and poor working conditions as some of the factors causing shortage of teachers in the country, noting that as soon as qualified teachers secure the job, they often seek alternative opportunities and leave the profession for unqualified persons.
He urged all stakeholders to contribute their quota to the development of the education sector by investing in teachers.
“Let the working environment be conducive for teachers. I want to call on directors and the community to respect and value teachers. If we want development in this country, we must value and respect our teachers,” he said.
He further explained that belief in the future and unity are necessary for advancing and shaping the future of the profession.
“We must shape our future. If we truly want development, advancement and progress as a whole, we must all rise and stand with teachers, protect their profession, advance teachers’ status and shape our future,” he added.
In his address, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Oyo State Wing, Comrade Hassan Ajibola Fatai, welcomed all teachers to the event, noting that it was organised to recognise and appreciate the contributions of teachers to society.
Speaking on the theme, he said: “Standing with teachers calls for more than mere celebration. It requires pragmatic effort whereby positive policies and programmes are translated into appreciable common actions.”
He commended the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde for its efforts in advancing education in Oyo State and for standing with teachers since assuming office in 2019.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Nureni Adeniran, reflected on the journey of the past six decades, stating that the quality and future of education are inseparable from the status, competence and welfare of those who teach.
“We will continue to work with appropriate authorities and education systems to strengthen teacher development, support effective teaching practices, promote professional standards, improve school support systems and ensure that teachers’ voices remain part of the conversation on improving basic education,” he said.
In her goodwill message, the chairman of the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Mrs Oluwabukola Oladipo, congratulated teachers on the occasion and urged them to reflect on the journey of the past 60 years.
“Let us protect the profession, advance its status, empower its practitioners and together, let us shape a future worthy of our teachers and our children,” she said.
The Secretary of the union, Oyo State Chapter, Comrade Olukayode Salami, in an interview with journalists, also commended the governor, noting that teachers in the state have enjoyed prompt payment of salaries in the last seven years.
He revealed plans to train teachers to advance technologically, stating that no education system can rise above the quality of its teachers.
The union also honoured the abducted school principal, Mrs Rachael Alamu and other teachers from Oriire Local Government Area as heroes and heroines of the teachers and education struggle, and presented gifts to students who were victims of the incident.
Other award recipients at the occasion included Chairman, Oyo State House Committee on Education, Honourable Johnson Ogundele; Head of Service, Oyo State, Mrs Olanike Fasina; Special Adviser on Education Intervention, Oyo State, Honourable Abiodun Taimiyu and Chairman, Pacesetter Transport Company, Oyo State. Honourable Dikko Salami.