APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has unveiled a teachers-focused education reform agenda, promising improved welfare, faster promotion processes, better working conditions and stronger professional development if elected governor in 2027.
Alli made the commitment in a goodwill message to teachers in Oyo State ahead of the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration, saying teachers would occupy a central position in his administration’s education policy.
His proposed reforms include an enhanced teachers’ welfare package within his first 100 days in office, featuring improved car and housing loans, special rural hardship allowances and a dedicated teachers’ housing and mortgage scheme for hard-to-staff areas.
He also promised to clear backlogs involving promotions, inter-zonal transfers and secondments through a digital tracking portal designed to improve transparency and reduce administrative delays.
Under the proposed policy, an annual State Teachers’ Excellence Awards programme would recognise outstanding educators with cash prizes, vehicles, laptops and training grants.
Alli said the selection process would be conducted digitally, with special recognition for teachers serving in rural communities.
The APC candidate further pledged to establish a fast-track unit for retired teachers’ pensions and gratuities, with defined timelines for resolving outstanding arrears.
Beyond welfare, Alli said teachers would receive continuous professional development in digital skills, artificial intelligence tools, inclusive education and subject mastery, with particular attention to educators working in rural areas.
He proposed special incentives for rural postings and a structured teacher-mobility system to address the uneven distribution of qualified teachers across the state.
Alli also promised specialised recruitment and training for special-needs and early-childhood educators, describing both areas as critical to developing an inclusive and sustainable education system.
On security, he proposed a comprehensive school security architecture involving perimeter fencing, community security partnerships and rapid-response protocols.
Teachers affected by insecurity, he added, would receive support and insurance packages.
The APC candidate also promised timely release of running grants to school heads through a digital accountability system, arguing that teachers should not have to spend personal money to provide basic materials required for teaching.
He said his administration would accelerate the renovation of classrooms, provision of furniture and development of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, with rural and overcrowded schools receiving priority.
Alli further pledged to expand access to information and communication technology through solar-powered laboratories, digital devices and modern teaching tools, particularly in underserved public schools.
His education agenda also targets Oyo State’s out-of-school population.
The candidate pledged an aggressive reduction of the estimated 674,000 children currently outside the school system through community mobilisation, incentives and public tracking of progress.
The figure has also been cited by education advocates in recent discussions on the state’s school exclusion crisis.
Alli said he would introduce an “Oyo Teachers First Compact”, containing measurable key performance indicators covering teachers’ welfare, security, professional development and learning outcomes.
The framework, he said, would be implemented in partnership with the Nigeria Union of Teachers and other education unions.
His latest pledge builds on his broader education agenda unveiled in September, when he said an APC administration would seek to reduce classroom sizes to a maximum of 30 pupils and prioritise teacher recruitment and training.
Alli said teachers remained indispensable to human capital development, arguing that education reforms could not succeed if educators were neglected, demoralised or denied the tools and welfare required to perform their duties.
“Our teachers deserve more than applause; they deserve a government that respects their sacrifices, protects their lives, rewards excellence and provides the tools required to teach effectively,” he said.
He congratulated teachers across Oyo State on the World Teachers’ Day celebration and assured them that an administration under his leadership would prioritise their welfare, professional development and working conditions.
Alli also urged teachers to remain committed to their profession, saying his proposed government would work with education stakeholders to rebuild confidence in the state’s education system and deliver measurable improvements in learning outcomes.
