Education stakeholders have called for greater investment in teacher training, resilient learning systems and stronger partnerships to improve access to quality education for children living in Nigeria’s informal settlements.

The call was made at the Lagos Informal Settlement Education Improvement Programme (LISEIP) 2026, organised by Youth Advocate for Change (YAFC) with the theme: “Future-Ready Teachers and Resilient Schools: Advancing Quality Education in Informal Settlements.”

The programme attracted teachers from public and private schools, school proprietors, government officials, development partners, non-governmental organisations, financial institutions and education advocates who examined practical strategies for improving learning outcomes through keynote presentations, panel discussions and interactive sessions.

Delivering the keynote address titled “Reimagining Education for Every Child: Building Inclusive, Resilient and Future-Ready Learning Systems in Underserved Communities,” Education Management Consultant and Executive Director, Meadowbrook Educonsult Limited, Dr. Stephanie Nwabuikwu, challenged governments, educators, businesses and civil society organisations to rethink education for children in disadvantaged communities.

She identified poverty, inadequate infrastructure, shortage of qualified teachers and social exclusion as major barriers to quality education, stressing that schools have enormous potential to change children’s life trajectories through effective teaching and inclusive learning environments.

According to her, future-ready teachers must evolve beyond being transmitters of knowledge to becoming facilitators of learning, mentors and technology integrators capable of nurturing creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and resilience.

Former Director of Basic Education Services at the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Dr. Adeyemi Adebayo, said teachers should be measured by their impact rather than their titles.

Adebayo urged teachers working in low-cost schools to embrace innovation, child-centred learning and instructional creativity, stressing that effective teaching depends more on sound pedagogy than expensive facilities.

During the plenary session, Mrs. Yonodu Okeugo, Group Head, Education Finance, Partnerships and Ecosystem Growth at Sterling Bank, emphasised the need for sustained private sector investment in education.

Founder of SEED Care and Support Foundation, Mrs. Olanrewaju Oniyitan, described teachers as society’s unsung heroes and called for stronger collaboration between schools, government and development organisations.

Also speaking, Ms. Olamide Oduola, Programme Officer at Cedars STEM Entrepreneur Hub, challenged teachers to reposition entrepreneurship education around innovation and problem-solving.

Earlier, in his opening address, YAFC, Convener and Founder, Adeola Ogunlade, described the programme as a call to action rather than another education conference.

He said children in informal settlements continue to pursue their dreams despite overcrowded classrooms, inadequate infrastructure and limited teaching resources, while teachers and school owners remain committed against all odds.

“No education system can rise above the quality of its teachers,” he said.

Ogunlade called for stronger collaboration among government, schools, development partners, civil society and the private sector, insisting that education is a shared responsibility.