By Gabriel Ameh
Nigeria joined the global community on Sunday, October 5, 2025, to commemorate the World Teachers’ Day at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja, with a resounding call for stronger collaboration, peer learning, and professional development among teachers to strengthen the nation’s education system.
Speaking at the grand ceremony themed “Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession,” the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, described teachers as the “bedrock of human capital development and nation-building.” He said the celebration underscores the invaluable role of educators in shaping Nigeria’s future.
“Rewarding teachers is an investment in quality education, student achievement, and national progress,” Dr. Alausa declared. “The Ministry’s education reform agenda is anchored on empowering teachers through collaboration, peer mentoring, co-teaching, and the use of digital platforms to enhance learning outcomes.”
The Minister explained that the Federal Ministry of Education, through key agencies such as the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), has rolled out policies designed to professionalise and motivate teachers across the country.
“While the TRCN focuses on licensing and regulation of teaching standards, the NTI sustains in-service training and continuous professional development,” he noted. “Our goal is to make teaching a collaborative, knowledge-driven, and technology-supported profession.”
Dr. Alausa further encouraged teachers to move beyond individualistic practices and embrace teamwork, openness, and shared responsibility in the classroom.“Collaborative teachers share lesson plans, resources, and strategies freely while remaining humble enough to learn from others,” he said. “When teachers collaborate and thrive, our children learn better, our education system becomes stronger, and our nation secures a brighter future.”
Delivering her opening remarks, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described this year’s theme as “particularly relevant to Nigeria’s context,” stressing that the future of teaching lies in collective effort rather than isolation.
“For too long, teaching in Nigeria has been approached as an individual responsibility,” she said. “The realities of large class sizes, curriculum reforms, and digital transitions demand a more cooperative approach. Through the National Teacher Development Policy (2022), the Digital Literacy and Skills Framework, and the promotion of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), the Ministry is fostering a culture of peer learning and shared success.”
Prof. Ahmad added that nurturing a culture of trust, openness, and shared responsibility among teachers would improve retention, reduce burnout, and attract new talents into the profession.
In his welcome address, delivered on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, Dr. Usman Ejeh, Director of Polytechnic Education and Allied Institutions, reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to supporting Nigerian teachers as the foundation of the nation’s educational progress.
“Collaborative teaching is globally recognised as a powerful strategy for improving learning outcomes,” Dr. Ejeh said, representing the Permanent Secretary. “Our partnerships with UBEC, NTI, TRCN, and State Ministries of Education continue to drive teacher training, digital exchange, and community participation in schools. This celebration renews our collective commitment to supporting every Nigerian teacher in pursuit of quality education.”
The event also featured remarks from Comrade Joel Ajiro, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and Comrade Audu Titus Amba, President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), both of whom praised Nigerian teachers for their perseverance and dedication despite prevailing challenges.
The grand finale of the 2025 World Teachers’ Day celebration concluded with the presentation of the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Awards, recognising innovative school leaders, teachers, and institutions for their outstanding contributions to education in Nigeria.
As the curtains closed on the celebration at Eagle’s Square, one message resonated clearly across the nation when Nigerian teachers collaborate, every child’s future grows brighter.
