By Uzo Ugwunze
The 2025 world teachers’ day celebration in Anambra was historic as the State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR expressed immense delight with the teachers for their excellent performance in Nigeria.
The event held at Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka attracted both primary and secondary schools teachers from both the public, private and mission schools; members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT; parents league, and top government functionaries among other stakeholders in education.
The world teachers’ day celebration 2025 themed: “Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession”, provided an opportunity to celebrate the incredible contributions of Anambra teachers, and the teachers’ endorsement of Governor Soludo for the second term in office.
Addressing the teachers, the Governor noted that teachers are not just great, but they are the greatest as they are the ones that trained every professional in every field, stressing that there can be no quality education without quality teachers.
While reiterating his commitment for a better learning environment for Anambra children, especially in the public school sector, Prof. Soludo maintained that his administration will recruit more teachers to cushion the effect of the current surge in school enrollment, following the massive turnaround in Anambra State Schools, which he said has lifted the State as the least in out-of-school children in Nigeria at 2.9%.
On the recent feat achieved by the Anambra State Schools during the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Awards at Abuja, where Woliwo Primary School II won the best public primary school in Nigeria, among other awards, the Governor congratulated the awardees for making Anambra State proud with a handsome reward for the 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022 winners at various categories.
Earlier, the chairman at the event, Dr. Chidi Akim in an opening remark commended teachers for their invaluable role in the society, while appreciating the State Governor for being a pillar of support to education as a teacher, adding that nothing can limit a teacher from aspiring to any level in life.
The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh stated that the Prof. Soludo has done all he promised to Ndi Anambra and much more by showing the way and leading the way as the teachers unanimously endorsed the Governor for a second term.
On their part, the Chairman, House Committee on education, in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Anayo Okpaleke and the PPSSC Chairman, Prof. Nkechi Ikediugwu commended the Governor for changing the education landscape in Anambra State, especially by paying the prompt and regular payment of pension and gratuity if retired teachers in the State.
Contributing, the Executive Chairman, Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, ASUBEB, Awka, Dr. Vera Nkiru Nwadinobi recounted the achievements of Governor Soludo particularly the recruitment of 8115 teachers and matching it with holistic free education leading to the increase of the primary school pupils from 224,000 in 2022 to 274,000 in 2025, adding that the payment of the UBEC matching grant led to the renovation of many schools, and provision of 22 smart schools across the 21 Local Government Areas in the State, resulting to a better learning environment that facilitated the excellent performance of the teachers and the pupils in Nigeria.
In their goodwill messages, speaker after speaker, including, the NUT National President, Comrade Audu Titus, represented by Mr. Evans Asogwa; the NUT State Chairman, Comrade Chika Chukwudozie; the ANCOPPS Chairman, Mrs Bibiana Onwuka; the representative of Anambra State Private School owners Association, Hon. Chinyere Mbakwe, among others applauded Governor Soludo for his empowering strides in education, assuring him of their total support in the November 8 gubernatorial election in the State.
Reacting, the Desk Officer, President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Awards, Mrs Francisca Emenike and the award winners, including the Headmistress of Woliwo Primary School II, Onitsha, Mrs Francisca Odumegwu, and the proprietor of Pinkberry International School, Obosi, Mrs Royaline Ikebuaso, thanked God for the honour and appreciated Governor Soludo for the enabling environment to excel.
Highlights of the event were a presentation by the students of Ado Girls Secondary School, Onitsha; presentation of support and award to Mr. Governor; rewards for the award winners at various categories and solidarity songs led by Anambra Digital Teachers for Soludo, ADTS, among others.