The federal government has digitised the selection process for the 2026 World Teachers’ Day awards to enhance transparency, accountability and proper documentation.

The Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, disclosed this at a news conference to herald activities to mark the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration in Abuja on Friday.

“For the first time, the selection processes coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Education were digitalised in line with African Union guidelines to ensure safety, accountability, and reference,“ she said.

According to the minister, state Ministries of Education facilitated the selection processes.

“However, some activities are scheduled to create awareness, promote critical thinking, and reward deserving teachers within the states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“We are in the process of ensuring that we attract the best brains and retain those already in the service,” she said.

She said 14 awardees would be honoured at the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration, with the three best teachers receiving cars and the best federal unity college receiving a bus.

She said awardees would receive laptops as part of efforts to recognise outstanding performance and motivate teachers to contribute to the education sector’s development.

Ms Ahmad said the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration, themed “Transforming the Teacher Profession for Africa’s Future”, would focus on reimagining education in Africa through five interconnected pillars.

According to her, the pillars are innovation, mobility, artificial intelligence (AI), inclusion and professional excellence.

She explained that innovation would encourage creative teaching methods, digital tools and locally relevant solutions to make learning more engaging, adaptable and impactful.

The minister said mobility would promote teacher exchange programmes, cross-border collaboration and flexible career pathways to facilitate knowledge-sharing and strengthen education systems across Africa.

On AI, she said the focus would be on leveraging technology for personalised learning, data-driven decision-making and reducing teachers’ administrative burden while ensuring ethical and inclusive use.

Ms Ahmad said inclusion would promote equitable access to quality education for all learners, regardless of gender, ability, socioeconomic status or location, while encouraging culturally responsive teaching.

She said professional excellence would focus on elevating the status of teachers through continuous professional development, fair remuneration, supportive policies and recognition of their leadership roles in shaping Africa’s future.

She said the five pillars were designed to strengthen the teaching profession and equip teachers to respond to emerging challenges in education.

On reports of a possible UK ban affecting Nigerians and Ghanaians, Ms Ahmad said the federal government had not yet received any official communication from the UK government.

She said the ministry had automated its Education Support Services (ESS) department to enable foreign institutions and employers to verify the authenticity of Nigerian academic qualifications online.

According to her, the measure will help prevent fraudulent certificate claims and protect Nigerians with genuine qualifications seeking opportunities abroad.

The minister thanked education agencies, state governments, organisations, and individuals for supporting the celebration.

Earlier, the national president of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Audu Amba, said teachers must remain central to the education process amid technological advancements.

Represented by the deputy national president of the NUT, Kizito Kalu, Mr Amba said innovation, including artificial intelligence (AI), should strengthen rather than diminish teachers’ professional roles.

He stressed the need for adequate investment in teacher training, welfare and professional development to enable teachers to adapt to emerging changes in education.

He commended the Federal Ministry of Education for its continued partnership with the union, expressing the NUT’s commitment to constructive engagement with government and other stakeholders to strengthen the profession.

The WTD is observed annually on October 5 to recognise teachers’ contributions to education and society.

(NAN)