MTN SAIL has graduated 500 public school teachers from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory as part of the second phase of the MTN SAIL Teachers Fellowship.
This programme marks a groundbreaking step in education, as these teachers have become the first in Nigeria to receive formal training in using technology to enhance their teaching methods.
The graduation ceremony took place at MTN Plaza in Ikoyi, Lagos, where valedictorians celebrated in person while their peers joined the festivities online from across the nation. The MTN SAIL Teachers Fellowship, in collaboration with the SAIL Empowerment Foundation, MTN Foundation, Microsoft, and CcHub, has now trained nearly 10,000 teachers since its launch in 2022.
The first phase reached 5,000 teachers, and from that group, the top 500 underwent an intensive three-month training program that emphasised practical classroom application and assessment.
This year, the fellowship introduced Microsoft’s technology, making this cohort the first group of Nigerian teachers with formal training in tech-assisted teaching methods. During the ceremony, Mrs Feyisola Abiru, co-founder of the SAIL Empowerment Foundation, expressed her pride in the graduates, emphasising that their training prepares them to responsibly integrate technology into their classrooms.
She noted, “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.”
Importantly, the fellowship focused exclusively on public school teachers, highlighting the commitment to improving education for the majority of Nigerian children who rely on the public education system.
“The public system is where the greatest majority of our Nigerian children sit,” she affirmed.
Out of 500 graduating teachers, five were recognised for their outstanding commitment to education and for effectively applying their training in the classroom. Each received a brand-new laptop from the SAIL Foundation to support their growth and teaching efforts.
“This is not just a farewell gift. It’s a tool for your journey ahead. Use it to keep learning and improving your teaching every day,” Abiru said.
The foundation sees every teacher not as a recipient of aid, but as a powerful multiplier. If each teacher reaches around 80 children each year, this group of 500 will collectively impact about 400,000 Nigerian children in the next year alone. Over a decade of teaching, that number soars to four million young Nigerians learning from well-equipped educators.
“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,” she emphasised.
SAIL Empowerment Foundation was co-founded by Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru and Mrs Feyisola Abiru, aiming to empower at least one youth in every Nigerian household, starting in Lagos. The foundation has since become independently governed, intentionally allowing its mission to endure beyond the founders’ involvement.
The SAIL Innovation Lab and Sports Centre in Ibeju-Lekki is currently being built, which will further enhance the foundation’s impact once completed.