Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Monday presented cash awards totaling about N120 million to the most outstanding teachers, head teachers, and principals of basic and post-basic public and private schools across the state.
The awards span multiple categories: 29 best principals and head teachers received N29 million; 119 outstanding teachers shared N59.5 million; 11 serving and retired university dons won pioneer professorship recognition awards totaling N22 million; while three schools went home with N9 million for the Best Kept School Award.
Governor AbdulRazaq also announced plans to purchase 10,000 shares of the Dangote Refinery Initial Public Offering (IPO) for 10 female teachers in each of the outstanding public schools, explaining that the initiative aims to foster an investment culture among educators.
Identifying teachers as major drivers of the education sector, the governor stated that his administration would continually prioritize their welfare. He added that the awards were designed to recognize their sacrifices and motivate them to do more.
“We will continue to do our part, including improving your welfare and working conditions on a sustainable basis. We are confident that you and other stakeholders will always do your part,” the governor said during the presentation at the Teachers’ Day celebrations in Ilorin.
“Our objective remains clear: to build an education system that gives every child in the state a fair opportunity to learn, develop useful skills, and compete anywhere in the world. The quality of education we provide today will determine the quality of Kwara we have tomorrow.”
“When we came into office, we knew that improving the education sector was a top priority. We also knew that this required more than building classrooms or increasing the number of teachers. We needed to improve the quality of teaching and learning itself, as well as sustainably restore the dignity of our teachers.”
“That informed our decision to recruit qualified teachers through a merit-based process, strengthen continuous professional development, improve school infrastructure, and introduce technology and data into the management of basic education through KwaraLEARN,” AbdulRazaq added.
AbdulRazaq also highlighted the regular promotion of teachers and the implementation of the 27.5% Teachers’ Specific Allowance (TSA) by his administration, acknowledging that the welfare and honor of teachers must remain a constant priority.
According to him, government interventions in the sector are already yielding results, evidenced by the superlative performance of students who have earned the state numerous laurels at national and international competitions.
Addressing the Dangote shares initiative, AbdulRazaq directed the state Head of Service, Dr. Olufunke Mercy Shittu, to design modalities to capture outstanding retired female teachers under the scheme as well.
“Before I conclude, we have been in discussion with the Dangote Foundation, and this discussion centers on promoting an investment culture among women, financial inclusion, and asset shareholding.”
“The Dangote Foundation has created a subscription window for women only. For every 10 shares we purchase, they will provide a grant of another 10 shares, making it 20 shares total.”
“Our hardworking women teachers in TESCOM and SUBEB will get 10 shares each. We will also extend this to retired female teachers so that peace and prosperity go round,” he stressed.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr. Lawal Olorungbebe, noted that hard work deserves recognition. He congratulated the awardees and charged them to keep the flag flying.
He encouraged teachers in the state to continue developing themselves and remain focused on student learning outcomes, assuring that the ministry will keep engaging stakeholders on teachers’ welfare, professional development, and working conditions.
The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Sheu Raheem Adaramaja, announced that the state government had granted approval for the 2026 promotion exercise for teachers. Adaramaja, who also serves as the Dean of State Chairmen for SUBEB, noted that Kwara would be the first state in the federation to conduct the 2026 promotion exercise for eligible teachers.
A former Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state and keynote speaker, Comrade Umar Farooq, urged the government and critical stakeholders to continue creating enabling environments for teachers to succeed.
He emphasized that supporting teachers is not merely backing a profession, but investing in the children, communities, and society that depend on them.
Earlier, the State NUT Chairman, Comrade Yusuf Wahab Agboola, commended the government’s investments in school infrastructure and teacher well-being, while urging the administration to adopt the national harmonized retirement age for teachers, among other requests.