The MTN SAIL Teachers Fellowship has graduated 500 public school teachers from all 36 Nigerian states and the Federal Capital Territory under its second phase, with the five highest-performing graduates receiving new laptops.

The graduates are the first group of Nigerian teachers to receive formal training in using technology to support classroom teaching. The ceremony was held at MTN Plaza in Ikoyi, Lagos, with valedictorians attending in person and other participants joining online from across the country.

The fellowship is run in collaboration with the SAIL Empowerment Foundation, MTN Foundation, Microsoft and CcHub. Since its launch in 2022, the programme has trained nearly 10,000 teachers. Its first phase reached 5,000 teachers, from whom the top 500 were selected for an intensive three-month programme focused on practical classroom application and assessment.

This year’s cohort was the first to receive formal training incorporating Microsoft technology and tech-assisted teaching methods. Mrs Feyisola Abiru, co-founder of the SAIL Empowerment Foundation, said the training had prepared the graduates to integrate technology responsibly into their classrooms.

“While discussions about the role of technology in education continue worldwide, you have already been equipped to use it effectively. You’re not just keeping up; you’re leading the way,” Abiru said.

The fellowship focused exclusively on public school teachers, reflecting its emphasis on the education system used by most Nigerian children.

“The public system is where the greatest majority of our Nigerian children sit,” Abiru said.

Five of the 500 graduates were recognised for their commitment to education and their effective use of the training in the classroom. The SAIL Foundation awarded each of them a new laptop to support their continued development and teaching work.

“This is not just a farewell gift. It’s a tool for your journey ahead,” Abiru said. “Use it to keep learning and improving your teaching every day.”

The foundation describes teachers as multipliers rather than aid recipients. Based on an estimate that each teacher reaches around 80 children annually, the 500 graduates could collectively affect about 400,000 Nigerian children over the next year. Over a decade, that figure could reach four million young Nigerians taught by educators equipped with the new skills.

“Through your efforts, we are shaping a generation that’s ready for the future. That’s why we don’t refer to you as beneficiaries. Beneficiaries only receive; you are multipliers,” Abiru said.

The SAIL Empowerment Foundation was co-founded by Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru and Mrs Feyisola Abiru. It aims to empower at least one young person in every Nigerian household, beginning in Lagos. The foundation is now independently governed, a structure intended to allow its mission to continue beyond the founders’ involvement.

The MTN SAIL Teachers Fellowship programme is part of the foundation’s wider work. The SAIL Innovation Lab and Sports Centre in Ibeju-Lekki is currently under construction and is expected by the foundation to further expand its impact after completion.

Source: TechNext24