As humanity celebrates 2022 World Teachers’ Day October 5, there is need for increased recognition of teachers and the teaching profession as a first step to getting things right in the country’s education sector.
This is in line with the theme assigned by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the 2022 World Teachers’ Day, which is “The Transformation of Education Begins with Teachers”. The Inoyo Toro Foundation said stakeholders should recognize teachers’ centrality in arresting the rapid decline in Nigeria’s education sector. Everyone has a role to play in encouraging our teachers so they can do more to improve the standard of education as any society that desires a better tomorrow for its people must substantially invest today in the education of the people. In the last 15 years, the Foundation has been contributing towards inspiring teachers and teaching excellence particularly across public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State. Such contributions have benefitted many teachers in the state, one of whom has gone on to achieve global acclaim. Recall, the Foundation’s latest teacher ambassador, Ephraim Jacob Inyangudo, who recently became first South-Southern Nigerian to win the prestigious Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Advancement Fellowship Award in faraway United States of America.
As the lyrics of the music “Teye ke ateacher akukpep” by a celebrated maestro reminded us, everyone who can read and write should remember they were helped by teachers. We must demonstrate gratitude by saying “Thank You” to a teacher on Teachers’ Day. Inoyo Toro Foundation is one of Nigeria’s first education-focused NGOs which has so far spent over half a billion Naira to reward over 256 teachers, train over 3500 teachers and four principals, mentor over 5,280 students and positively impact over 90 schools in Akwa Ibom State. The Foundation’s 15th anniversary and teachers’ excellence award ceremony are slated for Friday, November 4, 2022, at Ibom E-Library, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Dr. George Akpan, Board Secretary, Inoyo Toro Foundation, Uyo
