The Federal Government has urged Nigerian teachers to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies, saying they must continually adapt their skills as technology transforms teaching and learning.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa stated this on Monday, while speaking at the 2026 World Teachers’ Day commemoration and President’s Teachers’ and Schools’ Excellence Awards ceremony held in Abuja.
With the theme, “Protecting and Advancing the Status of the Teaching Profession in a Rapidly Changing World,” the event placed renewed attention on the future of teaching at a time when technology is redefining traditional classroom practices.
Alausa acknowledged that Artificial Intelligence and other digital tools could help teachers reach more learners and tailor lessons to individual needs, but warned that technology could not replace the human qualities at the heart of teaching.
According to him, the judgement, encouragement and human connection provided by skilled teachers remain indispensable to effective learning.
He therefore called for teachers to be equipped with the knowledge and skills required to use emerging technologies responsibly and confidently, while maintaining the professional standards and values of teaching.
The minister said the Federal Government’s ongoing education reforms were designed to strengthen the capacity of teachers while creating an environment where both educators and learners could thrive.
He listed professional development, improved teacher welfare, stronger institutions, better learning environments and skills for a changing economy among the government’s priorities.
For Alausa, preparing teachers for the future is inseparable from preparing Nigerian children for the future.
He noted that whether a teacher worked in a highly populated urban school or a remote rural community, they should have access to the tools and support needed to help learners succeed.
The minister also used the occasion to highlight the importance of recognising teachers who were already demonstrating innovation and excellence.
The President’s Teachers’ and Schools’ Excellence Awards honoured outstanding teachers, school administrators and schools for professionalism, innovation and leadership.
Alausa said the recognition was intended not only to celebrate individual achievements but also to encourage other educators to adopt higher standards.
He acknowledged the millions of teachers whose contributions may never receive national recognition but whose daily efforts shape the confidence, knowledge and aspirations of Nigerian children.
“Every lesson you prepare, every child you encourage and every young person whose confidence you build matters to Nigeria’s future,” he said.
The minister noted that the transformation of Nigeria’s education system could not be achieved by the Federal Government alone, adding that state governments, school leaders, professional bodies, labour unions, development partners, parents and communities all have roles to play.
As classrooms increasingly intersect with artificial intelligence and digital technologies, Alausa said the priority must be to ensure that teachers are not left behind.
He urged Nigerians to see investment in teachers not simply as investment in a profession, but as an investment in the children who will eventually drive the country’s economy, institutions and development.
He therefore called for sustained efforts to protect the dignity of teaching, advance its professional status and ensure that Nigerian teachers were equipped to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
