The Federal Government has introduced a digital process for selecting recipients of the 2026 World Teachers’ Day awards as part of efforts to improve transparency and accountability in recognising outstanding teachers.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, announced this on Friday in Abuja while unveiling activities for the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration.
Ahmad said the selection process, coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Education and facilitated by state Ministries of Education, was digitised in line with African Union guidelines.
“For the first time, the selection processes coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Education were digitised in line with African Union guidelines to ensure safety, accountability and reference,” she said.
She said 14 awardees would be honoured during the celebration, with the three best teachers receiving cars, while the best Federal Unity College would receive a bus.
The awardees would also receive laptops in recognition of their performance and as part of efforts to motivate teachers and strengthen the education sector.
Ahmad said the government was working to attract and retain highly skilled teachers through improved recognition and support.
“We are in the process of ensuring that we attract the best brains and retain those already in the service,” she said.
The 2026 celebration, themed “Transforming the Teacher Profession for Africa’s Future”, will focus on five areas: innovation, mobility, Artificial Intelligence, inclusion and professional excellence.
According to the minister, the focus on innovation will promote creative teaching methods and digital tools, while mobility will encourage teacher exchanges, cross-border collaboration and flexible career pathways.
She said Artificial Intelligence would be used to support personalised learning, data-driven decisions and reduction of teachers’ administrative workload, with emphasis on ethical and inclusive use.
On inclusion, Ahmad said the government would promote equitable access to quality education, while professional excellence would focus on continuous training, improved welfare, supportive policies and greater recognition of teachers.
The minister also disclosed that the ministry had automated its Education Support Services department to allow foreign institutions and employers to verify Nigerian academic qualifications online.
She said the initiative would help curb fraudulent claims of academic qualifications and protect Nigerians with genuine certificates seeking opportunities abroad.
Meanwhile, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Audu Amba, said teachers must remain central to education despite rapid technological developments.
Represented by the union’s Deputy National President, Kizito Kalu, Amba said technologies such as AI should strengthen teachers’ roles rather than diminish them.
“The future of education must therefore be a future in which teachers are empowered to adapt, innovate and continue to exercise their professional judgment,” he said.
He called for greater investment in teacher training, welfare and professional development to enable educators to respond effectively to emerging challenges.
World Teachers’ Day is observed annually on October 5 to recognise the contribution of teachers to education and society.
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