Stakeholders have called on Nigerian teachers to positively impact the lives of students, stressing that their role is central to reversing the country’s alarming out-of-school children statistics and shaping a sustainable future.

The charge was made at Project Future 4ward, a Sustainable World Impact Programme (SWIP) initiative, held in Lagos, with the theme, ‘Building the Wholesome Teacher Through Evidence-Based Learning and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-Centred Education.’

The training session brought together teachers, SDG coordinators, and education advocates, with participants reaffirming their commitment to equipping teachers as catalysts of change in Nigeria’s education system.

In her welcome address, convener of SWIP, Olayinka Oladipo, painted a sobering picture of the education crisis in Nigeria.

She revealed that more than 20 million Nigerian children were out of school, representing about 15 per cent of the world’s out-of-school population, while over 5.9 million children failed to complete primary or secondary education.

“Teachers are the first point of contact for students, and with you, we can definitely change lives. From the little actions we take, borders can be built and Nigeria can be transformed. This is the power that teachers have to inspire students, who in turn can inspire others,” Oladipo said.

She further announced a lineup of follow-up initiatives, including district-wide Arts and Crafts Festivals and Lagos State’s first-ever SDG Innovation Competition, where students will design solutions for local community challenges.

Representing the Office of SDGs in Lagos State, Michael Folorunsho emphasised the alignment of the initiative with the state’s education agenda.

He noted that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES agenda prioritises quality education, making partnerships with such programmes vital.

“For us, partnering with initiatives aligned with SDG 4 (Quality Education) is critical. If teachers are not empowered and do not understand the SDGs, there is no way they can effectively impact students.

That is why teacher empowerment is central to our mission,” Folorunsho said.

Also speaking, a facilitator from Well Teachers Foundation and a partner of SWIP initiative, Glory Ihinose, highlighted the personal sacrifices teachers often make. She urged them to see teaching as a calling to nurture critical thinkers and architects of the future while balancing passion with wellbeing.

She listed the “six Cs” of effective teaching as creativity, clarity, constraint, concentration, courage, and continuous learning, stressing that these qualities are essential for building a wholesome teacher.