Strengthen Synergy to Fix Public Schools, Alausa Tells States
By Ekanem ASUQUO
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has urged State Governments to deepen collaboration with development partners to accelerate ongoing efforts aimed at revitalising public primary education across the country.
Alausa made the call on Friday in Ikom, Cross River State, during the induction of 56 volunteer teachers trained by Save the Children International from Akwa Ibom and Cross River States into the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria with support from the Global Partnership for Education.
Represented by senior ministry official Godwin Odey, the Minister commended Save the Children for its timely intervention through the training and certification of volunteer teachers. He said the initiative addresses widening teacher shortages and reinforces government reforms designed to improve learning outcomes.
“This programme is helping us rebuild public confidence in basic education. Save the Children has stepped in where the needs are greatest, and the impact is already visible,” Alausa said.
In her remarks, Emily Ekott, who represented the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Education, praised Save the Children for embedding child protection and quality assurance in its training modules. She emphasized that sustained collaboration between government and development partners remains crucial to achieving meaningful transformation in the sector.
“What SCI is doing goes beyond recruitment. They are equipping these volunteers with the skills, values and confidence needed to positively shape the future of our children,” she said.
Also speaking, the Education Secretary for Ogoja, Ernest Otong, representing the Cross River State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Stephen Odey, acknowledged Save the Children’s consistent support to schools across the state. He said the newly trained volunteers would help close long-standing manpower gaps that have hindered effective learning.
“Our schools have struggled with inadequate manpower for years. With this intervention, alongside the state government’s ongoing recruitment drive, learning can now take place more effectively. The difference will be felt immediately,” he said.
Earlier, Education Coordinator of Save the Children International, Oyeniyi Omopariola, described the certification exercise as a strategic investment in human capital and a step toward improving teaching quality in underserved communities. He urged State Governments and Universal Basic Education Boards to prioritize the recruitment and deployment of the newly certified teachers to sustain gains recorded under the Global Partnership for Education project.
During the induction, the Director of Certification and Licensing at TRCN, Abimbola Okunola, administered the oath of office and urged the new teachers to uphold professional ethics as they begin their careers. He noted that the partnership among TRCN, Save the Children and the Global Partnership for Education remains a sustainable model for expanding access to quality learning in hard-to-reach areas.
Speaking on behalf of the inductees, Regina Kekong expressed appreciation to Save the Children for the opportunity and the intensive training delivered in pedagogy, classroom management, child safeguarding and modern instructional techniques. She pledged that the volunteers would uphold professional standards and contribute to improved learning outcomes in their assigned schools.
Community representatives praised the initiative as a dependable support mechanism that deserves continued investment. They called on government agencies, private organisations and development partners to strengthen collaboration with Save the Children International to ensure long-term sustainability.
