Partnerships key to reviving public primary schools in Nigeria — Alausa

By Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has emphasised that partnerships are vital to reviving public primary schools in Nigeria, particularly in rural areas where teacher shortages are most critical.

Dr Alausa made this remark in Ikom, Cross River State, during the induction of 56 volunteer teachers from Akwa Ibom and Cross River States into the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

The newly inducted teachers were trained by Save the Children International, with backing from the Global Partnership for Education.

Represented by ministry official Godwin Odey, the Minister commended Save the Children International for its timely intervention, noting that the effort aligns with government reforms intended to improve teaching and learning nationwide.

“This programme is helping us rebuild trust in basic education. Save the Children has stepped in where needs are greatest and the results are already visible,” he said.

Education officials from Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, Emily Ekott and Ernest Otong, welcomed the initiative and praised its impact on the quality of teaching and learning.

Earlier, Oyeniyi Omopariola, Education Coordinator for Save the Children International, described the certification exercise as an investment in human capital designed to boost teaching quality in underserved communities.

He called on states and Universal Basic Education Boards to prioritise the engagement and deployment of the newly certified teachers to sustain the gains of the Global Partnership for Education project.

Also speaking, the Director of Certification and Licensing at TRCN, Abimbola Okunola, administered the oath and urged the inductees to uphold professional ethics in their duties.

Responding on behalf of the new teachers, Regina Kekong expressed gratitude for the opportunity, assuring that the volunteers would work diligently to improve learning outcomes in the schools where they serve.