FG Inaugurates Committee for 2026 World Teachers’ Day, President’s Excellence Awards

The Federal Government has inaugurated the Planning and Implementation Committee for the 2026 World Teachers’ Day Celebration and the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Awards, reaffirming its commitment to recognising outstanding teachers and strengthening the teaching profession as a cornerstone of national development.

The committee was inaugurated in Abuja by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, who described teachers as the bedrock of sustainable educational development and emphasised that Nigeria’s human capital aspirations depend on a motivated, qualified, and professionally supported teaching workforce.

Enitan charged members of the committee to uphold the principles of fairness, transparency, integrity, accountability, and merit throughout the planning and implementation process.

He said the committee would oversee nominations, screening, and verification of candidates from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Awards. It will also develop the programme for the World Teachers’ Day celebration scheduled for October 5, 2026, mobilise partnerships, and establish effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

Speaking at the inauguration, the Director of Education Support Services, Mr. Amudipe Gabriel Oluwole, described the event as the formal commencement of preparations for the annual celebration, which honours teachers for their invaluable contributions to the nation’s education sector.

Representatives of key education stakeholders, including the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), and development partners, pledged their support for a transparent, credible, and merit-driven selection process.

The committee comprises representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, its agencies, professional bodies, development partners, and other stakeholders, reflecting the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing quality education and human capital development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

World Teachers’ Day, celebrated annually on October 5, provides an opportunity to recognise the contributions of teachers and promote policies aimed at improving the quality and status of the teaching profession.