January 10, (THEWILL) – Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has announced plans to expand the Ogun Teach initiative by increasing the number of teacher interns from 4,000 to 6,000.
This move, he said, aims to address the student-to-teacher ratio gap in public schools across the state.
The governor made the announcement at his Oke-Mosan office in Abeokuta while hosting the management teams of Teach For All and Teach For Nigeria, who were in the state for their retreat.
Abiodun revealed that his administration had raised the monthly stipends for Ogun Teach interns to N80,000, aligning with current economic realities.
“We borrowed a leaf from the Teach For All and Teach For Nigeria programs, recognizing the gap in the teacher-to-student ratio and the challenges underserved students face. We introduced the Ogun Teach program to fast-track teacher recruitment within our budgetary framework,” Abiodun said.
He noted that out of the 4,000 teachers currently employed under Ogun Teach, 2,000 have been offered permanent positions, significantly enhancing teacher presence in rural areas.
“We’ve employed over 4,000 teachers through Ogun Teach and are set to recruit another batch to bring the total to 5,000. I’ve committed to increasing this number to 6,000,” the governor added.
Abiodun highlighted the strides made under his administration, including the declaration of an emergency in the education sector and the implementation of transformative policies like the Learners Identification Number and the Education Revitalization Agenda.
“These initiatives have made education more accessible and efficient in Ogun State. Our focus remains on improving learning outcomes and ensuring seamless education delivery,” he said.
The governor further pledged to continue absorbing qualified Teach For Nigeria fellows into the state’s education workforce, reaffirming Ogun State’s commitment to becoming a model for the Teach For Nigeria program nationwide.
The Chief Executive Officer of Teach For Nigeria, Mrs. Molade Adeniyi, lauded the Ogun State Government for fostering an enabling environment for the program to thrive.
“Ogun State has been incredibly supportive of our work, maintaining an open-door policy and engaging in meaningful dialogue to address challenges and find solutions,” Adeniyi said.
She emphasised that Teach For Nigeria recruits highly skilled and motivated individuals for a two-year fellowship aimed at tackling educational inequities and delivering quality education.
“Our partnership with Ogun State has been marked by integrity and commitment. We look forward to deepening our collaboration as we work to ensure that every child has access to excellent education,” she added.
The Ogun Teach program, which has been widely praised for its impact, is poised to further enhance the education sector in Ogun State with this expansion.
