As humanity celebrates 2022 World Teachers’ Day October 5, a foremost education intervention Non-Governmental Organization in Nigeria, Inoyo Toro Foundation, has called for increased recognition of teachers and the teaching profession, as a first step to getting things right in the country’s education sector.

The call is in line with the theme assigned by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the 2022 World Teachers’ Day, which is “The Transformation of Education Begins with Teachers”.

In a statement issued in Uyo and signed by the Foundation’s Board Secretary, Dr. George Akpan, Inoyo Toro Foundation urged all stakeholders to recognize teachers’ centrality in arresting the rapid decline in Nigeria’s education sector.

It noted that everyone has a role to play in encouraging our teachers so they can do more to improve the standard of education, adding that any society that desires a better tomorrow for its people must substantially invest today in the education of the people.

The statement recounted the contributions of the Foundation in the last 15 years towards inspiring teachers and teaching excellence particularly across public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State and expressed satisfaction that such contributions have benefitted a large number of teachers in the state, one of whom has gone on to achieve global acclaim. Recall, the Foundation’s latest teacher ambassador, Ephraim Jacob Inyangudo, who recently became first South-Southern Nigerian to win the prestigious Fullbright Teaching Excellence and Advancement Fellowship Award in faraway United States of America.

Reflecting on the lyrics of a music piece “Teye ke ateacher akukpep” by a celebrated maestro, Dr. Uko Akpan, the statement reminded everyone who can read and write to remember they were helped by teachers and urged them to demonstrate gratitude by saying “Thank You” to a teacher on Teachers’ Day.

Inoyo Toro Foundation is one of Nigeria’s first education-focused NGOs which has so far spent over half a Billion Naira to reward over 256 teachers, to train over 3500 teachers and 4 principals, to mentor over 5280 students and to positively impact over 90 schools in Akwa Ibom State. The Foundation’s 15th anniversary and teachers’excellence award ceremony is slated to hold on Friday, November 4, 2022 at Ibom E-Library, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.