Cosmas Chukwu, Enugu
Enugu State has taken centre stage in the Nigerian education sector as teachers and leaders of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, converged on the Enugu International Conference Centre for the 8th Quadrennial Conference of Delegates of the Nigeria Union of Teachers.
The conference provided a national platform for teachers and education stakeholders to deliberate on teachers’ welfare, professional development, emerging technologies and the future of education in Nigeria.
Welcoming delegates, the NUT State Chairman, Comrade Theophilus Nweke Odo, described the hosting of the conference in Enugu as a historic honour for the Coal City State. He appreciated the national leadership of the union for choosing Enugu and thanked relevant authorities for facilitating the participation of teachers in the conference.
Nweke Odo also commended the Enugu State Government for its significant investment in education, particularly the development of Smart Green Schools, describing the initiative as evidence of the state’s commitment to transforming the learning environment.
In his remarks, Governor Peter Mbah reaffirmed his confidence in teachers, stressing that the future society Nigerians desire depends largely on the teachers who nurture and prepare the younger generation.
The Governor maintained that no society could achieve meaningful development without qualified teachers capable of laying a strong foundation for young learners.
He highlighted the administration’s investment in education, including the construction of over 267 Smart Green Schools, the provision of about 7,000 new classrooms within three years, and the allocation of 33 per cent of the state’s total budget to education.
Governor Mbah further disclosed that the state was revisiting its school pedagogy and entering new areas of learning, with Artificial Intelligence, mechatronics, digital literacy and experiential learning being integrated into the Smart Green Schools programme.
He said the objective was to rebuild the quality of education and ensure that children in rural communities have access to learning opportunities comparable with those available in urban areas. He also noted the growing global economic importance of Artificial Intelligence, stressing that teachers must be prepared to work with emerging technologies because AI can enhance productivity and accelerate processes rather than diminish the role of teachers.
The Governor of Kebbi State, His Excellency Hon. Nasir Idris, in his remarks, described teachers as a unified and critical force in national development. He highlighted some of his administration’s interventions in the education sector, including the prompt payment of teachers’ salaries and gratuities.
Other Governors, including those of Kaduna and Abia States, were represented at the conference.
The National President of NUT, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, in his keynote address, highlighted the indispensable role of teachers in nation-building and drew attention to challenges confronting the profession. He called for improved teachers’ welfare, recruitment of more teachers, provision of teachers’ quarters and continuous professional development.
Comrade Amba urged governments at all levels to ensure that teachers are adequately skilled and properly supported, stressing that teachers’ welfare should not be treated with levity because the quality of education is closely linked to the wellbeing and professional capacity of teachers.
The Guest Speaker, Prof. Steve Nwokocha, in his lecture, x-rayed contemporary frameworks for teacher education, access to educational technology, teacher competencies and emerging practices in education.
He charged Nigerian teachers to pay closer attention to the African Continental Framework of Teacher Competencies and Teacher Qualification Frameworks, while encouraging them to embrace technology and Artificial Intelligence as tools for improving teaching and learning.
Prof. Nwokocha noted that research had shown significant concerns among teachers about Artificial Intelligence but urged them not to fear the technology. Using ChatGPT as an example, he explained that AI should complement teachers rather than replace human interaction in education.
He stressed that teachers must continuously update their skills, warning that “if we teach today the way we were taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.”
The conference therefore brought together education leaders, policymakers and teachers in a shared conversation on the future of the teaching profession, with strong emphasis on teacher welfare, professional competence, technology and innovative approaches to education.
The 8th Quadrennial Conference has further positioned Enugu as a significant meeting point for national education discourse and underscored the central role of teachers in shaping the future of Nigeria.
For a better society
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