EXPERT VIEW: Rethinking Teacher Training in Nigeria — Lessons from U.S. and Canadian Models

Hakeem Ayodeji Nafiu

A quality teacher in every classroom is not a luxury — it is a necessity. Over the past decade, global education systems have increasingly emphasized teacher quality as the cornerstone of student success. Yet, Nigeria continues to face significant setbacks due to outdated teacher preparation models, a lack of ethical leadership in early childhood education, and limited national investment in continuous professional development.

As an educational researcher based in the United States and a passionate advocate for African educational reform, I have spent the last few years comparing international teacher training standards with Nigeria’s current realities. Having studied and taught in both the U.S. and Canada, I have witnessed firsthand how robust training systems, digital infrastructure, ethical leadership, and evidence-based policymaking directly impact learning outcomes and elevate the dignity of the teaching profession.

Nigeria vs. U.S./Canada: Bridging the Training Divide

In North America, teacher education goes beyond classroom management. It incorporates modules on ethics, culturally responsive teaching, digital literacy, leadership, and long-term mentorship. Teachers are empowered as change agents — not just content deliverers. In contrast, many institutions in Nigeria remain anchored in theory-heavy curricula, with minimal practical exposure or feedback mechanisms.

Moreover, systemic accountability is weak. U.S. and Canadian systems implement teacher performance reviews, license renewals, peer mentoring, and national boards to uphold professional standards. Without such frameworks, Nigerian educators often plateau shortly after certification.

My Research and Mission

My doctoral research explores how ethical leadership in early childhood settings can transform the entire education pipeline. I have engaged with school leaders, policymakers, and education stakeholders in both the U.S. and Africa to analyze how decision-making rooted in ethics, equity, and inclusion can build resilient systems — especially in underserved communities.

As part of my broader mission, I have developed actionable programs that can be scaled in Nigeria and across Africa. These include:

Teacher Training Bootcamps – Focused on leadership, ethics, and 21st-century pedagogies.

A Digital Staff Development Portal – Designed to track progress, mentor educators, and provide access to global best practices.

Cross-Continental Collaborations – Linking U.S.-trained African educators with local institutions to co-develop teacher training curricula.

Policy Roundtables and White Papers – Aimed at informing Ministries of Education on practical reforms.

An Educator Diaspora Framework – Harnessing the expertise of African-trained teachers abroad to reinvest knowledge and tools into home-country systems.

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These initiatives are currently being incubated at OLAAN Global Academy, a Pan-African platform I founded to bridge education, innovation, and policy. We are developing teacher certification models, early childhood standards, and public-private partnerships to drive change across Nigeria and beyond.

Community Impact and Public Advocacy

On August 13, 2024, I appeared on Nigeria Police Radio 99.1 FM Abuja to advocate for educational reform and ethical leadership in schools. My message emphasized the urgent need to professionalize teaching and invest in education leaders who can transform our system from within. This engagement was more than a media appearance — it formed part of a long-term advocacy plan to shape public perception, stimulate political will, and spark national conversations on the future of quality education.

The Continental View: Why Africa Must Act

The crisis of teacher quality is not unique to Nigeria. Across Africa, we face a shared challenge: preparing educators not just to teach, but to lead, innovate, and inspire. That’s why I am championing a Continental Teacher Leadership Fellowship Program, to be piloted in West Africa by 2026. The program will mentor teachers, administrators, and policy officers in ethical leadership and classroom excellence — drawing on both African realities and global insights.

Recommendations for Nigeria’s Policymakers

Revise teacher education frameworks to reflect ethical leadership, digital skills, and contextual responsiveness.

Create a national teacher development registry to track performance and professional growth.

Incentivize private-sector participation in teacher development through tax breaks and grants.

Establish state-level education innovation hubs in collaboration with universities and NGOs.

Final Thoughts

I believe Africa’s greatest resource is its people — and the most powerful investment we can make is in the educators who shape them. Reimagining teacher training is not merely a policy decision; it is a moral imperative.

Let us be bold enough to learn, committed enough to act, and visionary enough to lead.

Hakeem Ayodeji Nafiu is a Ph.D. candidate in Educational Administration (USA), Founder of OLAAN Global Academy, and an international education consultant.

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