Teachers’ Day: Alli Pledges Teachers-First Education Reform, Promises Welfare Overhaul Within 100 Days
The Oyo State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has pledged to place teachers at the centre of his administration’s education reform agenda if elected governor in 2027.
Alli made the pledge in a goodwill message to teachers in the state on the occasion of the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration.
He promised to introduce an enhanced teachers’ welfare package within his first 100 days in office, including improved car and housing loans, special rural hardship allowances and a dedicated teachers’ housing and mortgage scheme that would prioritise hard-to-staff areas.
The APC candidate also pledged to immediately clear backlogs relating to promotions, inter-zonal transfers and secondments through a transparent digital tracking portal designed to eliminate unnecessary delays and administrative bottlenecks.
He said his administration would institute annual State Teachers’ Excellence Awards, with cash prizes, vehicles, laptops and training grants, while adopting an open digital selection process and giving special recognition to teachers serving in rural communities.
Alli further promised to establish a fast-track unit for the payment of retired teachers’ pensions and gratuities, with clear timelines for clearing outstanding arrears.
He also pledged continuous professional development for teachers in digital skills, artificial intelligence tools, inclusive education and subject mastery, with particular attention to those serving in rural areas.
According to him, special incentives would be introduced for rural postings, alongside a structured teacher-mobility system to address the uneven distribution of qualified teachers and retain quality personnel in underserved schools.
Alli also promised specialised recruitment and training for special-needs and early-childhood teachers, describing the two areas as critical to building an inclusive and sustainable education system in the state.
He said his administration would establish a comprehensive school security architecture comprising perimeter fencing, community security partnerships and rapid-response protocols, as well as support and insurance packages for teachers affected by insecurity.
The APC candidate pledged guaranteed and timely release of running grants to all school heads through a digital accountability system, saying teachers should no longer have to spend their personal resources on basic materials needed for effective teaching.
He also promised to accelerate the renovation of classrooms, provision of furniture and development of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, with priority given to rural and overcrowded schools.
On access to technology, Alli pledged to expand Information and Communication Technology facilities through solar-powered laboratories, digital devices and modern teaching tools in more public schools, particularly underserved ones.
Addressing the challenge of out-of-school children, he promised an aggressive reduction of the estimated 674,000 children outside the school system through community mobilisation, incentives and public tracking of progress.
Alli said his administration would also launch an “Oyo Teachers First Compact”, with measurable key performance indicators covering teachers’ welfare, security, professional development and learning outcomes.
He said the compact would be implemented in partnership with the Nigeria Union of Teachers and other education unions.
According to Alli, teachers remained indispensable to human capital development, stressing that no education reform could succeed if teachers were neglected, demoralised or denied the tools and welfare required to perform their duties.
He said the World Teachers’ Day celebration should therefore go beyond speeches and ceremonies to concrete commitments that would restore dignity, motivation and professional pride among teachers.
“Our teachers deserve more than applause; they deserve a government that respects their sacrifices, protects their lives, rewards excellence and provides the tools required to teach effectively,” Alli said.
He congratulated teachers across Oyo State on the celebration and assured them that an APC administration under his leadership would make their welfare, professional development and working conditions major priorities.
Alli urged teachers to remain committed to their noble profession, assuring them that his proposed administration would work with education stakeholders to rebuild confidence in the state’s education system and deliver measurable improvements in learning outcomes.