Jubilation as 6 Nigerian Teachers Win $1,000 each For Innovative Teaching
- Six teachers were recognised at the 2026 Summer Fellowship for Innovative Teachers Award conference held at Kingsville Schools, Jahi, Abuja
- The event was jointly organised by the Murdock-Thompson Center for Teachers, USA, and the Intellectual Giants in Africa Foundation
- INGAF founder Amb. Emmanuel Idiagi said about 30 teachers across Benue, Kaduna, FCT and Cote d'Ivoire have now received the $1,000 prize
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Six teachers have each received $1,000 at the 2026 Summer Fellowship for Innovative Teachers Award (SFIT) conference, held at Kingsville Schools, Jahi, Abuja, in recognition of their creative contributions to classroom learning.
The event was co-organised by the Murdock-Thompson Center for Teachers (M-TC) of the USA and the Intellectual Giants in Africa Foundation (INGAF). It brought together teachers, school owners, education administrators, policymakers, development partners, and innovation advocates under the theme "Championing Innovation in Africa: Honouring Teachers Who Shape the Future."
Source: Getty Images
What the SFIT award stands for
Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, INGAF Founder and Executive Director Amb. Emmanuel Idiagi said the award was created to restore dignity to the teaching profession and encourage innovators to remain in education. He disclosed that roughly 30 teachers drawn from Benue, Kaduna, the FCT, and Cote d'Ivoire have been recognised since the initiative began, and that plans are underway to extend coverage to more African countries.
Idiagi raised concern about the increasing number of teachers leaving for sectors such as banking and FinTech, warning that the trend was deepening brain drain within education. He called on the government, the United Nations, and international development organisations to back the initiative. He also clarified that recipients are selected based on the originality and measurable impact of their innovations, not their academic credentials.
Award winners speak on their innovations
Among those honoured was Mr Victor Okonkwo, a Further Mathematics teacher at Community Secondary School, Asokoro, Abuja. His winning entry, "Smart Water Mathematics," was designed to help organisations, families, and individuals manage water resources more efficiently.
The Guardian reported that Nonso Ihejirika, a Digital Literacy teacher at Brighter Schools Lugbe, Abuja, described the recognition as a major personal milestone.
Mrs Eze Goodness Nnenaya, who teaches Entrepreneurship, Fashion Design, and Garment Making at Kingsville School, Jahi, Abuja, said the award had reignited her passion for the classroom. "It has extra-motivated me. Now I believe that our reward as teachers is not just in heaven; we are receiving it here," she said.
Speakers at the conference included William Lavin, President and Executive Director of M-TC; Prof. Bethany Hall-Long, former Governor of Delaware, USA; and Dr. Uche Onyekpe, Founder and Executive Director of the African Institute for Artificial Intelligence, AI-4AI.
A roundtable on "Ethical AI in the Classroom" examined the opportunities and challenges tied to artificial intelligence in education. The conference also featured the debut showcase of the fellowship's Advanced Learning Community Robotics Programme, led by Michael Oche, a Board Member of M-TC and robotics expert.
The organisers said SFIT would continue to identify and support teachers whose innovations are making measurable differences in classrooms, while pushing for greater investment in educators across Africa.
Plateau shuts down schools over diphtheria outbreak
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Plateau State Government ordered all public and private primary and secondary schools to shut down following a diphtheria outbreak.
The directive, signed by the Commissioner for Information, takes effect from Monday, September 7, 2026 and will remain in effect until further notice.
At least 23 people have died from suspected diphtheria complications, with cases confirmed across four local government areas in Plateau State.
Source: Legit.ng
