TRCN registrar, Oniyitan, Subair named finalists for Africa Education Medal 2024

The Chief Executive Director, SEED Care and Support Foundation, Olanrewaju Oniyitan, Founder, One Million Teachers (1MT), Hakeem Subair, and Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Josiah Ajiboye, have been named among 10 finalists for the Africa Education Medal 2024.

Founded by T4 Education and HP, the Africa Education Medal is the continent’s most prestigious education accolade.

The award recognises those who are transforming education across the continent, celebrating the stories of those who have lit the spark of change so others would be inspired.

It is given to an outstanding individual who has demonstrated impact, leadership, and advocacy in the field of education.

According to the organisers, the winner of this year’s medal would attend the World Schools Summit in Dubai, billed for November.

And in recognition of the urgent need to solve the teacher recruitment and retention crisis to tackle learning gaps, the winner will also be entitled to nominate a school of his or her choice to receive membership of T4 Education’s Best School to Work programme. The programme is an independent, evidence-based mechanism to certify schools for their culture and transform their working environment to attract and retain the best teachers.

Senior Education Business Leader at HP, Mayank Dhingra, congratulated the nominees, saying their passion and dedication to transform education will inspire others to follow in their footsteps, and build a world where quality education is enjoyed by all.

“HP has a bold goal to accelerate digital equity for 150 million people globally by 2030. Only by joining forces and aligning with non-governmental organisations, government, educators and businesses can we truly improve the education environment.

“The Africa Education Medal brings together all those who are changing the face of African education, whose work we must all learn from if the world is to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030,” Dhingra added.

Chief Executive Officer of T4 Education, Vikas Pota, said: “The Africa Education Medal honours changemakers where change is needed most, where learning gaps persist and inequalities remain.

To tackle the challenges and unlock the continent’s future, Potts stressed the need to build a community of leaders from every sphere of society, who are committed to educational transformation.

“For leaders like Oniyitan, Subair, and Ajiboye. Africa has so much to learn from your inspirational stories and vital contribution to the next generation.”

The winner will be announced in October. They will be chosen by a Jury comprising prominent individuals based on rigorous criteria.

Oniyitan’s foundation is a non-profit organisation that supports the affordable non-state education sector to deliver access to quality education for all children by providing advocacy, evidence and a learning network. Her work seeks to address the challenge that half of Nigeria’s population is under 19 years old, yet many lack access to quality education.

She believes the affordable non-state sector (low-fee private schools, faith-based schools, community schools, and alternative learning centres) plays an indispensable role in expanding access to education and improving learning outcomes.

Oniyitan’s organisation aims to impact 20,000 affordable non-state schools/centres towards transforming the lives of a million children across Nigeria by 2035.

Subair’s 1 Million Teachers aims to create a wave of highly trained, innovative educators capable of driving grassroots change.

The organisation has trained over 60,000 educators across more than 20 countries, indirectly impacting approximately four million students.

Ajiboye, who also serves as the President of the Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA), introduced the Professional Qualifying Examination for Nigerian teachers in 2017. It is now compulsory for anyone who intends to teach in the country to pass this key examination and obtain a teacher’s license and certificate.