By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Federal Government has honoured Ondo State Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa with a Special Recognition Award for his contributions to education in the state.
Aiyedatiwa received the award from the Federal Ministry of Education on Monday at the 2026 World Teachers’ Day Commemoration held at Eagle Square, Abuja.
The state government described the recognition as the Best Governor in Education Award.
In his acceptance speech, Aiyedatiwa expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Education, Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad, and other stakeholders involved in the celebration.
The governor dedicated the award to teachers across Ondo State, describing their daily sacrifices as fundamental to the development of the state.
Aiyedatiwa, who disclosed that he had previously worked as a teacher, said the experience had remained important to his understanding of governance and the responsibility of making knowledge meaningful to young people.
He said education remained a long-term investment in the character, capacity and productive strength of Ondo residents and was firmly embedded in his administration’s seven-pillar OUR EASE development agenda.
According to him, the administration had focused on expanding access to education, improving quality, strengthening the teaching profession, upgrading learning environments and preparing young people for a rapidly changing world.
Ondo recruits over 2,100 teachers
Aiyedatiwa disclosed that more than 2,100 teachers were recruited into primary and secondary schools in 2025.
He said the government had also continued to invest in professional development, including digital and pedagogical training, climate-smart instructional programmes and quality-assurance capacity.
The governor said 43 new classroom blocks were constructed in 2025 at a cost of about ₦3.1 billion, while 75 schools underwent complete renovation.
He added that 8,500 learners’ furniture and 1,200 teachers’ furniture were procured, alongside sports equipment, textbooks and other learning materials.
According to him, learning resources worth more than ₦150 million were distributed across the three senatorial districts, while computer textbooks were supplied to learners in all 18 local government areas.
Aiyedatiwa said the 2026 budget also made provision for further construction and rehabilitation of basic schools.
Beyond primary and secondary education, the governor said his administration had approved the establishment of a College of Nursing at Igbokoda and a College of Education at Aboto.
Government highlights teacher welfare
Aiyedatiwa said teachers’ salaries and allowances had been paid regularly, while the government continued to address inherited gratuity arrears owed to retired public servants, including a significant number of retired teachers.
“This is not merely a fulfilment of an obligation; it is a message to those still in service that government remembers their sacrifice and that their future is secure,” he said.
The governor disclosed that ₦633.9 million was paid in 2026 for the registration of 23,048 public-school students for WAEC examinations, while NABTEB examinations were also fully sponsored.
He added that ₦350 million and ₦400 million were committed to bursary and scholarship support for tertiary students in 2025 and 2026 respectively.
OSOPADEC, he said, also provided ₦286.7 million in bursaries to 4,837 students.
The governor said his administration had recognised outstanding academic performances, including students who excelled in the 2026 UTME and those who distinguished themselves in national and international competitions.
Aiyedatiwa promotes digital education
The governor said Ondo was embracing digital education through partnerships, including its collaboration with EIDU, which introduced AI-powered learning tools, smartphones and structured literacy programmes.
He added that digital literacy initiatives had placed thousands of tablets in public schools, while laptops were being provided to digitally trained teachers in preparation for Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies.
Addressing the theme of the celebration, “Protecting and Advancing the Status of the Teaching Profession in a Rapidly Changing World”, Aiyedatiwa said teachers must be given the tools and environment required to perform effectively.
“If we truly desire a knowledge-driven society, we must give teachers the tools to teach, the environment to work, the dignity they deserve and the opportunity to continually renew their knowledge,” he said.
The governor dedicated the recognition to teachers across Ondo State, including those working in urban centres, communities and difficult circumstances.
“When we educate a child, we do more than change one life. We strengthen a family, enlarge the possibilities of a community and increase the productive capacity of a State,” he said.
Minister, NUT seek stronger support for teachers
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, described teachers as critical to educating Nigerian children and youths, saying their contribution was central to the country’s future.
Alausa said teachers in public and private schools carried significant responsibilities and deserved opportunities for professional development and recognition.
He added that technology and artificial intelligence were changing the learning environment and could help teachers improve their work and better support learners.
The minister identified stronger institutions, skills for a changing economy, reliable data, improved teacher welfare and continuous professional development as areas requiring attention.
In her welcome address, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad, said teacher welfare and retention remained priorities for the Federal Government.
She said teachers were increasingly expected to build foundational skills, respond to different learning needs, use emerging technologies and prepare young people for a changing world.
“Those expectations are reasonable. So is a teacher’s expectation of good preparation, useful material, fair treatment, safety, timely career progression and respect,” she said.
The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Titus Amba, represented by the Deputy National President, Comrade Kizito Kalu, said the status of teachers reflected the value a nation placed on its future.
Amba said better schools required improved conditions for teachers, while innovative learners needed innovative teachers.
He called for a move “from celebration to action, from promises to implementation and from recognition to sustained investment”.
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