By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has been honoured as the Best Education Governor of the Year, with the governor dedicating the award to teachers in the state for their dedication and contribution to the development of education.
Aiyedatiwa received the recognition on Monday at Eagle Square, Abuja, during the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration.
The governor, who described the award as a tribute to teachers rather than a personal achievement, expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as reforms aimed at transforming the nation’s education sector.
“Whatever strides we have recorded in education as a nation, or for me as a state, have been made possible by the men and women who enter our classrooms every day,” Aiyedatiwa said.
He said teachers carry not only classroom responsibilities but also “the hopes of families, the aspirations of communities and, in many respects, the future of our dear state and Nigeria.”
The governor, a former teacher, said his experience in the classroom had deepened his understanding of the responsibilities and challenges confronting members of the teaching profession.
According to him, he deliberately returned to the classroom in March 2025 to teach in a government school, describing the exercise as an opportunity to reconnect with the teaching profession and demonstrate its importance to the educational system.
Aiyedatiwa said education remained a long-term investment in the character, capacity and productive strength of the people of Ondo State.
He disclosed that his administration had recruited more than 2,400 teachers in 2025, while continuing to invest in professional development, including digital and pedagogical training, climate-smart instructional programmes and quality assurance.
The governor also said his administration had invested heavily in improving the physical learning environment across the state.
“In 2025, 43 new classroom blocks were constructed at a cost of about N3.1 billion, while 75 schools underwent major rehabilitation,” he said.
He added that the government had procured learning materials, furniture and sports equipment, while providing additional educational resources worth more than N150 million across the three senatorial districts.
Aiyedatiwa further disclosed that the state had provided computer tablets and other digital learning resources to schools across its 18 local government areas as part of efforts to prepare students and teachers for the demands of a technology-driven future.
Beyond primary and secondary education, he said the government had approved the establishment of a College of Nursing and a College of Education, while ensuring the regular payment of teachers’ salaries and supporting retired workers, including retired teachers.
He said the government had also expanded access to education by taking over some community secondary schools and providing transportation support for students in underserved areas.
According to him, the state government had continued to pay examination fees for secondary school students, while providing financial support for students and young people pursuing educational and skills-development opportunities.
The governor said his administration was also embracing artificial intelligence and digital education, including AI leadership and literacy programmes, digital training for teachers and the provision of laptops to enhance teachers’ digital capabilities.
He noted that the initiatives were designed to prepare students and teachers for emerging technologies, including robotics and other advanced digital tools.
Aiyedatiwa also highlighted the administration’s youth empowerment programmes, including the “One Youth, One Skill” initiative and skills development centres, which he said were designed to create pathways to employment and entrepreneurship for young people.
The governor stressed that improving the status and welfare of teachers remained central to building a knowledge-driven society.
“If we really desire a knowledge-driven society, we must give teachers the tools to teach, the environment to work, the desire and the opportunity to continually renew their knowledge,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa therefore dedicated the award to teachers and citizens of Ondo State, acknowledging their contributions to the state’s educational achievements.
He said the recognition would further strengthen his administration’s commitment to improving education and ensuring that teachers are adequately supported to deliver quality education.
