Dr Adeyemi Adebayo, Former Director, Basic Education Services, Lagos State Ministry of Education, has urged the Lagos State Government to prioritise the training of every teacher in Lagos State, with the aim of improving the education sector.
Dr Adebayo buttressed that the training should target teachers in private and public schools because it is important for all teachers to be certified.
The Former Director made the call at the Lagos Informal Settlement Education Improvement Programme (LISEIP) 2026, organised by Youth Advocate for Change (YAFC) with the theme: “Future-Ready Teachers and Resilient Schools: Advancing Quality Education in Informal Settlements.”
Dr Adebayo also appeal to the government that such trainings should reach teachers in suburbs, informal communities and across different locations.
“Schools should be treated as a social service because many private schools are running on loans and they need support from the government. So, these trainings should target private schools’ teachers.
“The training should be decentralised so that teachers are trained in environments and with facilities they are familiar with,” he added.
In her keynote address titled “Reimagining Education for Every Child: Building Inclusive, Resilient and Future-Ready Learning Systems in Underserved Communities,” Education Management Consultant and Executive Director, Meadowbrook Educonsult Ltd, Dr. Stephanie Nwabuikwu, challenged governments, educators, businesses and civil society organisations to rethink education for children in disadvantaged communities.
Dr Nwabuikwu identified poverty, inadequate infrastructure, shortage of qualified teachers and social exclusion as major barriers to quality education, stressing that schools have enormous potential to change children’s life trajectories through effective teaching and inclusive learning environments.
Nwabuikwu urged governments and development partners to invest deliberately in teacher development, educational technology, infrastructure and mentorship programmes, noting that examples such as solar-powered classrooms, mobile libraries and digital learning initiatives have demonstrated that innovation is possible even in underserved communities.
During the plenary session, Mrs. Yonodu Okeugo, Group Head, Education Finance, Partnerships and Ecosystem Growth at Sterling Bank, emphasised the need for sustained private sector investment in education.
She said education financing should go beyond corporate social responsibility to long-term partnerships that strengthen learning systems, reward excellence and improve educational opportunities.
Founder of SEED Care and Support Foundation, Mrs. Olanrewaju Oniyitan, urged schools to take advantage of available social protection initiatives and education interventions, stressing that accurate learner data remains critical to effective planning and service delivery.
“Resilient schools are not built by accident. They are built intentionally,” she said, urging teachers, policymakers and development partners to pursue educational transformation with purpose and commitment.
Earlier, in his opening address, YAFC, Convener and Founder, Adeola Ogunlade, described the programme as a call to action rather than another education conference.
He said children in informal settlements continue to pursue their dreams despite overcrowded classrooms, inadequate infrastructure and limited teaching resources, while teachers and school owners remain committed against all odds.
“No education system can rise above the quality of its teachers,” he said.
Ogunlade called for stronger collaboration among government, schools, development partners, civil society and the private sector, insisting that education is a shared responsibility.
“Government cannot do it alone. Private schools cannot do it alone. The private sector cannot do it alone. Civil society cannot do it alone. But together, we can create an education ecosystem where every child has access to quality learning opportunities,” he said.
He reaffirmed YAFC’s commitment to reducing educational inequality through advocacy, innovation and partnerships, while urging participants to leave the programme with practical commitments capable of transforming education in underserved communities.
The programme attracted teachers from public and private schools, school proprietors, government officials, development partners, non-governmental organisations, financial institutions and education advocates who examined practical strategies for improving learning outcomes through keynote presentations, panel discussions and interactive sessions.
