By Diana Omueza
Teachers Aid Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has trained not less than 1,500 teachers across the country on international best practices in education.
Mr Stephen Osadebay, the President of the foundation said this in Abuja at an Induction and Investiture of Honorary Award ceremony.
The NGO, in partnership with the British American Open University of California, organised the event to honour teachers and professional educationists with the honorary doctorate award for making impacts in the education sector.
Osadebay said the foundation had successfully trained over 1,500 teachers from 2022 to 2023 on international best practices and would not relent in ensuring that teachers and teaching profession was specialised and enviable.
According to him, teachers and educators must be encouraged to continue to invest in nation building through the dispensation of sound knowledge to learners.
“This programme was put together to recognise and honour teachers and school owners for the important roles they play in dispensing sound knowledge to children and youths.
“The importance of character building and self-reliance through education can be attributed strongly to the impact of teachers and educationists and this is a form of motivation and support for their efforts.
“The doctorate award is to challenge them to do more and to give them international recognition, that is why we partnered with this reputable foreign institution to present this award,” he said.
Dr David Bruce-Day, the Vice-Chancellor of the British American Open University of California, said the institution was proud to partner the foundation to present the doctorate awards to those deserving.
“This is not a case of honouring them without looking at what they have done, but we have heard and seen their works and we have partnered to help promote the educational system of Nigeria and Africa.
“These set of people have proven worthy of this award with their track records in the educational sector by leading in their profession and in their communities.
“And today, we are proud to award them for their great impact in the educational sector in Nigeria,” he said.
Dr Paul Godwin, President Board of Trustees of Kings College British American Institute, congratulated the award recipients for their efforts and contributions to national development.
“Our vision and mission at Kings College British-American Institute remains to identify especially those who use their time, energy and resources to lift the society and proliferate the nation.
“So. this is a well-deserving award to the recipients and we urge others to strive to join forces to sustain the educational gains and achievement of education in Nigeria,” he said.
Dr Abdullahi Abubakar, Director of Physical Planning at Prime University in Abuja said that education remained a panacea for national development and must be invested in by the government.
Abubakar who was one of the recipients of the award said that national building was a continuum and education was a replenishment tool that needed quality investment.
Also, Mrs Hannah Akpakpan, another recipient. expressed satisfaction with the award and said that she now had a greater sense of responsibility to deliver on her mandate as an educationist.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a total of 12 recipients were selected for the Doctorate Honorary Award, only four were awarded amongst which were school owners and teachers with over two decades of experience.