The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to developing an education system that equips teachers and students with the skills required to thrive in an increasingly digital and technology-driven world.
The Secretary to the State Government, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, stated this on Thursday at the closing ceremony of the 2026 MTN-SAIL Teachers Fellowship Programme.
Salu-Hundeyin said the state’s education strategy was focused not only on improving access to learning but also on strengthening teachers’ digital competence and preparing young people for emerging opportunities.
According to her, education could no longer be confined to the traditional classroom, as students now require digital skills, creativity and an innovative mindset to remain competitive.
“Education and technology remain central to our developmental priorities. We recognise that quality education in today’s world must extend beyond the traditional classroom,” she said.
She explained that the state’s investment in technology-enabled learning and continuous professional development for teachers was deliberate and aligned with the education priorities of the THEMES PLUS Agenda.
Salu-Hundeyin also commended the MTN Nigeria Foundation for its investment in teacher development, noting that the fellowship had provided an opportunity to strengthen the capacity of educators to respond to changing demands in teaching and learning.
She congratulated the 500 teachers who completed the second stage of the programme, urging them to extend the knowledge and skills acquired during the fellowship to their students and colleagues.
“Your participation in this programme goes beyond personal development; it presents you with an opportunity to transfer the knowledge, digital skills and contemporary teaching methods acquired to your students and fellow educators,” she said.
The Co-founder of the SAIL Empowerment Foundation, Mrs Feyisola Abiru, said the fellowship was established on the understanding that teachers remain central to the success of education policies and reforms.
“When SAIL started this Fellowship in 2022, we began from a simple observation. Between every education policy and every Nigerian child stands one person: the teacher,” Abiru said.
She explained that the partnership between SAIL and the MTN Foundation had enabled the programme to expand from a Lagos-based initiative into a national teacher-development programme covering all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to her, 4,000 teachers were trained in 2024, while the latest cohort began with 5,000 public primary and secondary school teachers selected from across the country.
Abiru said the second phase of the programme was more intensive, involving three months of online training, continuous assessment and practical application of the lessons in classrooms.
From the 5,000 participants, she said, 500 teachers were selected for the second stage based on their performance.
She noted that the 2026 cohort was particularly significant because Microsoft, through the MTN Foundation, introduced artificial intelligence into the training curriculum, making the graduating teachers among the first group of Nigerian classroom teachers to receive formal training in AI-assisted teaching.
“This year, through the MTN Foundation, Microsoft brought artificial intelligence into the curriculum. You are among the first Nigerian classroom teachers formally trained in AI-assisted teaching,” she said.
Abiru urged the teachers to apply the knowledge responsibly and continue investing in their professional development, stressing that technology was already reshaping education globally.
She also announced that five outstanding teachers among the 500 graduates would receive new laptops and laptop bags from the SAIL Foundation in recognition of their performance.
The fellowship is designed to strengthen teachers’ professional and digital capabilities while supporting the integration of technology and emerging tools into classroom teaching.
