Education
Honouring the Hands That Shape the Future: A Tribute to Teachers and the Legacy of Mrs Anna Chinenye Udunze
By Blaise Udunze
Every year on October 5, the world pauses to celebrate World Teachers’ Day, which is a day to honour the men and women whose quiet labour builds the foundations of every great society. They are the custodians of knowledge, the gardeners of potential, and the silent architects of transformation. Long before the first brick of any nation’s progress is laid, teachers have already done their work by nurturing minds, refining values, and lighting the path of purpose.
In every thriving society, progress rests on the shoulders of its teachers. They shape the minds that build nations, innovate solutions, and drive economies. Yet, in Nigeria, these same nation-builders have become the forgotten heroes of development, with a neglected sector battling shortages, poor welfare, and dwindling morale. The implications of this systemic neglect go far beyond the walls of our schools; it strikes at the heart of the nation’s social and economic well-being.
Across the country, classrooms overflow while teachers dwindle. From urban schools in Lagos to rural communities across the country, the teacher-to-student ratio grows alarmingly worse. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommends one teacher for every 35 pupils, yet Nigeria’s classrooms often see a single teacher struggling to manage 80 to 100 children. Some states have not recruited new teachers in years, even as retirements and resignations thin the ranks.
This crisis is not just about numbers; it is about neglect. Many teachers go months without salaries. Promotions stagnate for years. Training opportunities are rare or nonexistent. In an age where education systems are evolving globally, Nigerian teachers remain under-equipped, underpaid, and undervalued.
Worse still, the nation is now losing many of its finest educators to the brain drain sweeping across critical sectors. In search of better welfare, security, and dignity, a growing number of Nigerian teachers are migrating to countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. These are nations that understand the value of quality education and reward it accordingly. These countries are actively recruiting teachers from Africa, offering them decent pay, housing, and professional development opportunities that remain elusive back home.
The exodus is devastating. Every teacher who leaves represents not just a personal loss but also the erosion of institutional memory and mentorship for younger educators.
The result is a hollowing out of the education system, where classrooms are filled with children but starved of skilled instructors. If this trend continues unchecked, Nigeria may soon face a generational void, one where the brightest educators are abroad while those left behind struggle to do more with less.
The consequences are profound. The quality of education continues to decline as overcrowded and poorly resourced classrooms stifle both teachers and pupils. Literacy and numeracy rates fall, while dropout rates soar. Nigeria already bears the burden of having one of the world’s largest populations of out-of-school children, over 10 million.
Beyond academics, the social fabric suffers. Education is not merely an academic exercise; it shapes civic values, tolerance, and productivity. When teachers are absent or ineffective, a generation grows without discipline, moral grounding, or employable skills. The result is evident in the rising wave of youth unemployment, crime, and moral decay. A society that fails to invest in teachers inevitably reaps a harvest of instability and ‘bundles of wahala.’
Economically, the neglect of teachers directly undermines growth. Nations like Japan, Finland, Singapore, and South Korea that thrive well did so by prioritizing education and elevating the teaching profession. In Nigeria, however, policymakers treat education as an afterthought, allocating N1.54 trillion, representing only 7.9 percent of the N19.54 trillion 2024 national budget, to the entire education sector. This figure falls far below the UNESCO-recommended benchmark of 15-20 percent, underscoring how little priority is given to building human capital.
Poorly educated citizens limit innovation and productivity, forcing industries to import expertise that local talent could have supplied if properly nurtured. The vicious cycle continues as poor education leads to weak human capital, which in turn hampers national competitiveness.
To reverse this decline, Nigeria must begin by restoring dignity to the teaching profession. Teachers deserve fair remuneration, timely payment, and continuous training. Recruitment must become a priority to fill the widening gap in public schools. States should adopt deliberate policies to attract bright young minds into teaching through incentives, scholarships, and professional development programs. Investment in digital teaching tools and curriculum reform is equally critical. A 21st-century nation cannot thrive on a 20th-century education model. Beyond policy, society must also renew its respect for teachers by celebrating them not only on World Teachers’ Day but every day, as the moral and intellectual engineers of our nation.
This year’s celebration holds a deeply personal resonance for me. It is a day to not only salute all teachers across the world but also to remember one whose life and service embodied the noblest ideals of the profession in the person of my late mother, Mrs. Anna Chinenye Udunze, a devoted and exemplary teacher who worked with the Lagos State Ministry of Education for 33 years.
For over three decades, she gave her heart and her strength to shaping young minds. Her students, many of whom are now professionals across Nigeria and beyond, remember her not only for her discipline and excellence but also for her compassion, her insistence on doing what is right, and her unwavering belief that education was the surest path to dignity and nation-building. To her, teaching was not just a job; it was a calling, and one she answered with grace, patience, and an undying sense of purpose.
Mrs. Udunze’s classroom was a place of transformation. She believed every child had a spark waiting to be discovered. She spent long hours preparing lessons, mentoring her pupils, and ensuring that even the least promising learner left her class with renewed confidence. Meanwhile, I was also once her student for a term of an academic year! Her legacy endures, not in monuments or titles, but in the countless lives she touched and the values she instilled.
Neglecting teachers is not merely an educational issue; it is a national emergency. When classrooms collapse, the future collapses with them. The strength of any nation lies in the quality of its teachers, for they shape every doctor, engineer, entrepreneur, and leader that society will ever know.
As we celebrate this year’s World Teachers’ Day, let us remember that teachers remain society’s moral compass and developmental backbone. They are the ones who keep the ideals of knowledge, integrity, and hard work alive in generations. Governments and communities owe them more than words of praise. We owe them the dignity, support, and recognition they so richly deserve.
Today, as the world celebrates its educators, I stand proud, proud of all teachers who remain steadfast in their mission and proud of a mother whose legacy continues to inspire. The life of Mrs. Anna Chinenye Udunze is a testament to the truth that while classrooms may be small, their influence stretches far beyond walls into the hearts of generations and the story of nations.
To all teachers, past and present, thank you. You are the hands that shape humanity, the voice that awakens dreams, and the light that no darkness can extinguish.
Blaise, a journalist and PR professional writes from Lagos, can be reached via: bl***********@***il.com
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has inaugurated a Curriculum Review Committee aimed at strengthening taxation education in Nigerian academic institutions and improving the country’s tax administration system.
According to a statement, the committee was inaugurated on February 24, at the NRS Academy in Durumi as part of the agency’s broader efforts to modernise tax education and align academic training with the evolving demands of contemporary tax administration.
Speaking during the inauguration, the Director of the NRS Academy, Mr Adeolu Akinyemi, said the review exercise would involve collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) to develop a more structured and relevant curriculum for the academy.
He emphasised that the initiative seeks to ensure that taxation programmes taught in Nigerian institutions reflect current developments in tax policy and practice, while also equipping students with the practical knowledge required in today’s tax administration environment.
The committee has been tasked with examining existing taxation curricula across Nigerian institutions and proposing updates that incorporate modern tax policies, recent legislative changes, and emerging areas such as digital taxation and global tax practices.
Officials say the review is also designed to close the gap between theoretical classroom instruction and the practical realities of tax administration.
By strengthening the link between academic learning and professional practice, the revised curriculum is expected to better prepare graduates for careers in the tax sector.
The effort is further expected to enhance tax awareness among citizens, encourage voluntary tax compliance, and support the development of skilled tax professionals who can contribute to national revenue generation and economic growth.
The committee is chaired by Mrs Aisha Hamman Mahmoud, Special Adviser to the Executive Chairman of the NRS on Research and Statistics. Its membership includes representatives from the service as well as academic experts in taxation and fiscal policy, alongside professionals with experience in tax administration, policy formulation, and tax education.
The committee will work with relevant educational regulatory agencies and professional bodies to ensure that the proposed curriculum aligns with national academic standards while addressing the practical needs of Nigeria’s tax system.
The NRS stated that the initiative forms part of its ongoing commitment to expanding tax knowledge, strengthening professional capacity, and promoting responsible tax practices across the country.
The curriculum review exercise is expected to be completed within 60 days, after which the Service plans to provide further updates on the implementation of the revised programme.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The first batch of Nigerian undergraduates to enjoy fully paid scholarships for studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses across the continent has been chosen by Airtel Africa Foundation.
Business Post gathered that 70 students from universities across Nigeria were selected from thousands of applicants through an independently managed process, which took nearly six months.
It was learned that most of the undergraduates were from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), the University of Ilorin, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU Zaria), and the University of Nigeria (UNN).
The scholarship covers tuition, laptop computers, living expenses, and essential learning resources, a statement from Airtel Africa Foundation disclosed.
The chairman of the foundation, Mr Segun Ogunsanya, speaking at the presentation of the scholarships to the beneficiaries at the Lagos headquarters of Airtel Nigeria, emphasised the need for initiatives such as the Airtel Africa Foundation’s undergraduate tech scholarship for the future of the continent.
“True legacy is not measured by the awards we win or the volume of SIM cards we sell; it is measured by the lives we save, the people we feed, and the students we support when the line between success and failure is at its thinnest.
“At the Airtel Africa Foundation, we believe that lifting people out of poverty is the ultimate benchmark of a great company. Today, we are writing that legacy by tilting the balance in favour of the brilliant but underserved, ensuring that the fourth industrial revolution, driven by AI and Data Science, is built by African talent for the African continent,” he stated.
Mr Ogunsanya further revealed that this fellowship, executed through Airtel Nigeria, is designed to bridge the gap where funding, skills, and opportunity often fail to meet.
In addition to the N500,000 yearly budget for the fellows’ four-year or five-year courses, each fellow would be integrated into a structured support system for academic guidance and career mentorship, intended to ultimately transition students from the classroom to the global tech workforce.
Addressing the students, the chief executive of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Dinesh Balsingh, stressed that youth development is a strategic imperative for Airtel.
“At Airtel Nigeria, we view youth development as essential nation-building. When young people succeed, innovation accelerates, and social stability improves.
“By connecting these brilliant scholars to knowledge, skills, and confidence, we are fulfilling our core mission to connect people to opportunity. To our recipients: you earned your place here through merit and discipline. You are now ambassadors of excellence, and we expect your leadership to be defined by your conduct as you help shape a more inclusive digital future for Nigeria,” the Airtel Nigeria chief said.
The Nigerian cohort joins a prestigious network of Airtel Africa Foundation fellows currently studying in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, and India.
The initiative underscores a broader commitment to technology education, youth development, and Nigeria’s digital economy.
By Dr Austin Orette
I am in receipt of a letter that asked parents to pay for an excursion to England. I was very perturbed because this goes beyond the mandate of the school. These kids barely know the geography of Nigeria, and you want to export them to another culture for indoctrination and cultural imperialism.
What is London for the Nigerian child? Are we still under colonialism? This program has nothing to improve the child except to give them a false sense of elitism, which has destroyed Nigeria.
In these tough economic times, you are asking parents to cough up so much money for the vanity project of indulgent children and nouveaux rich parents who want a vicarious existence through their children. I weep for my country.
Nigeria used to be a place where children of the rich and poor went to the same school without anyone being subjected to any form of alienation. It is becoming very clear that the Nigerian educational system has been bastardised by actions like these.
We send our children to learn and have a better understanding of themselves and the world, but you are teaching them a sense of entitlement. As someone who has travelled around the world, there is nothing any of those kids will gain from this stupid enterprise other than egotism that alienates them from their mates. Even if I can afford it, it does not make any economic sense. I will never participate in this hubris you mistake for education. It appears your school has substituted foreign cultures for education.
Teach the Nigerian child how to be Nigerian. Education is supposed to start at home. It appears a large percentage of the parents are people who came into so much money without a modicum of common sense. This is the reason why they consider it a thing of dignity when their child is being culturally miseducated. This trend, where everything foreign is romanticized must stop. We should never raise our children to feel inferior to anyone.
The moral decadence that has become prevalent in Nigeria is due to the wrong education of the Nigerian child and his parents. They employ maids for their children; drive them to school in expensive limousines. At the end, the child grows up entitled and does not have any sense of service or allegiance to his community, as he is trained from childhood that the world owes him a living.
We must teach our children how to serve. Service to others is the rent we pay for the space we occupy. If parents must take their children overseas, that should be done in their private time, not under the pretext of education.
A good education will be an excursion to the numerous slums in Lagos, and let the children produce an assignment about creating sustainable neighbourhoods that are livable.
If you don’t stop this practice, I will make a formal protest to the Ministry of Education and your school and other schools that are introducing this odious culture should be sanctioned.
The Nigerian child must be trained to think instead of making him a consumer of foreign cultures that have disdain for our way of life.
I used to complain about wayward parents who have destroyed Nigeria until I found out that the Nigerian schools are becoming incubating chambers for producing wayward and dysfunctional children who will perpetuate the vicious cycle in the Nigerian decay.
Dr Austin Orette Writes from Houston, Texas
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