By Iroyin Yoruba Television
The Federal Government has urged Nigerian teachers to embrace artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies as tools for improving education while making clear that technology cannot replace the professional judgement, encouragement and human connection provided by teachers.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made the position known on Monday, October 5, 2026, in Abuja during the 2026 World Teachers’ Day commemoration and President’s Teachers’ and Schools’ Excellence Awards ceremony.
The minister's message comes as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prominent in education, with students and educators gaining access to tools capable of generating information, explaining concepts, assisting with research, producing learning materials and supporting personalised instruction.
Alausa said technological change was transforming how knowledge was accessed and used, but argued that the growing role of AI should strengthen the teaching profession rather than make professional educators unnecessary.
He said teachers should be equipped with the knowledge and skills required to use emerging technologies responsibly and confidently while protecting the standards and values of the profession.
The minister's remarks place the Nigerian education system at the centre of a broader global discussion about how schools should respond to rapidly developing AI technologies.
GOVERNMENT SAYS AI SHOULD SUPPORT TEACHERS
According to Alausa, artificial intelligence can provide useful assistance in the classroom.
Technology can help teachers reach learners, provide additional educational resources and tailor instruction to different learning needs.
However, the minister stressed that such capabilities do not remove the need for professional educators.
He said the judgement, encouragement and human connection of a skilled teacher remain indispensable.
That distinction is increasingly important as AI systems become capable of performing tasks that were traditionally handled by teachers.
A student can now use an AI system to obtain an explanation of a difficult subject, generate practice questions, translate educational material or receive assistance with writing.
Teachers can similarly use technology to prepare lessons, organise information and develop supplementary learning resources.
But education involves more than the delivery of information.
Teachers observe students, identify when a learner is struggling, encourage confidence, manage classroom relationships and make decisions based on circumstances that may not be visible in digital information.
Those responsibilities require professional judgement and human interaction.
The government's position is therefore that AI should be integrated into education as a supporting technology rather than treated as a replacement for teachers.
WHY THE ISSUE MATTERS FOR NIGERIA
The debate is particularly important for Nigeria because the country's education system serves millions of learners across environments that vary significantly.
Students in major cities may have access to smartphones, computers, reliable Internet services and digital learning platforms, while learners in rural communities may face limited connectivity, electricity challenges and shortages of educational resources.
The introduction of AI could potentially help address some educational gaps by giving teachers and learners access to additional resources.
However, unequal access to technology could also create new disparities.
If AI-powered educational tools are available only to students who can afford reliable Internet connections and digital devices, the technology could widen existing inequalities.
This is why technology policy in education must consider infrastructure, teacher training and affordability alongside the development of digital tools.
Alausa said the government wanted a child's educational opportunities to be determined by potential rather than geography, family income or personal circumstances.
That objective will require attention to both traditional educational infrastructure and the digital infrastructure increasingly required for modern learning.
TEACHERS NEED TRAINING
One of the strongest messages from the minister's address was the need to equip teachers to work effectively with emerging technology.
The government does not want educators to simply observe technological changes from outside the classroom.
Instead, teachers are expected to develop the skills necessary to understand and use new tools responsibly.
This could involve learning how to evaluate AI-generated information, identify inaccurate or misleading outputs, protect student information and determine when technology is appropriate for a particular learning task.
Teachers may also need to understand how AI can be used to support lesson preparation, differentiated learning and educational administration without compromising professional standards.
Training will therefore become an increasingly important part of Nigeria's education technology strategy.
Technology changes quickly, meaning one-off training programmes may not be enough.
Teachers could require continuous professional development to remain familiar with new tools, emerging risks and changing expectations.
THE HUMAN SIDE OF EDUCATION
The government's argument that AI cannot replace teachers is rooted largely in the human dimension of education.
A teacher does not simply provide information.
Teachers can motivate students who have lost confidence, encourage children who are struggling, identify emotional or social difficulties and provide guidance based on direct knowledge of individual learners.
A digital system can process information and generate responses, but it does not replace the relationship between a teacher and student.
That relationship can influence whether students remain engaged with education and whether they develop confidence in their abilities.
The minister therefore called for technology to be introduced in ways that preserve the professional identity of teachers.
The goal is not to resist innovation but to ensure that innovation strengthens educational outcomes.
AI CAN CHANGE HOW LESSONS ARE DELIVERED
The potential benefits of AI in education remain significant.
Teachers can use digital systems to prepare different versions of learning material for students with different levels of understanding.
Technology can also help educators generate exercises and supplementary resources.
Students can receive additional explanations outside normal classroom hours, potentially providing support when a teacher is not immediately available.
For teachers managing large classes, digital tools could help with some administrative and preparatory tasks, allowing more time to focus on direct interaction with students.
However, these advantages depend on responsible implementation.
AI-generated information can be inaccurate.
A system may produce an answer that appears convincing but contains factual errors.
Students and teachers therefore need the ability to verify information rather than automatically accepting every response produced by a digital tool.
THE RISK OF OVERRELIANCE ON AI
As AI becomes easier to access, schools will also face the challenge of preventing excessive dependence on technology.
Students may be tempted to use AI to complete assignments without developing the underlying skills those assignments are intended to teach.
That could weaken critical thinking, writing ability and independent problem-solving if not properly managed.
Teachers will consequently have an important role in establishing responsible rules for AI use.
Rather than simply banning technology, schools may need to teach students how to use it ethically and productively.
Students could be taught to distinguish between using AI as a learning assistant and using it to avoid doing intellectual work themselves.
The ability to question, verify and improve AI-generated information may itself become an important digital literacy skill.
PROTECTING PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
Alausa emphasised that teachers should be equipped to use emerging technologies without compromising the professional standards and values of education.
This means technological adoption should not become an excuse for lowering educational standards.
Schools must continue to expect teachers to understand their subjects, plan effective lessons and evaluate student progress.
AI may assist those responsibilities, but professional accountability remains with educators and education institutions.
There are also important questions concerning privacy and responsible handling of student information.
Digital systems can process large amounts of information, making it important for schools to understand how data is collected, stored and used.
Students, parents and teachers need confidence that educational technology will not expose sensitive information unnecessarily.
DIGITAL DIVIDE REMAINS A CHALLENGE
The expansion of AI in Nigerian education will also depend heavily on infrastructure.
Reliable electricity, Internet connectivity and access to appropriate digital devices remain essential for sustained use of technology.
A school cannot effectively integrate AI into teaching if teachers and students cannot reliably access the necessary systems.
This means technology policy must be linked to broader investments in connectivity and educational infrastructure.
Rural schools in particular may require additional support if the benefits of digital transformation are to reach learners outside major urban centres.
The government has repeatedly emphasised the need to ensure that educational opportunities are not determined by geography.
Achieving that objective in an AI-driven education environment will require deliberate investment in underserved communities.
TEACHER WELFARE ALSO MATTERS
The minister's World Teachers’ Day message went beyond technology.
He said teachers deserved professional respect, continuous career development, appropriate teaching resources, fair recognition and good working conditions.
That is significant because technological reform cannot succeed if the people expected to implement it lack adequate support.
A teacher who is poorly equipped, inadequately trained or working in difficult conditions may struggle to adopt new technology effectively.
Professional development and welfare therefore need to progress alongside digital transformation.
The government has said its education reforms include improving learning environments, strengthening institutions, developing skills for a changing economy, improving the use of reliable education data and enhancing teacher welfare and professional development.
GOVERNMENT SEEKS BROADER PARTNERSHIP
Alausa also called for collaboration between the Federal Government, state governments, school leaders, professional bodies, organised labour, development partners, communities and parents.
Education is shared across multiple levels of government and society, making coordination important for technology adoption.
States manage many schools and education programmes, while individual institutions have their own infrastructure and staffing conditions.
Professional bodies can contribute to teacher development, while parents and communities can help ensure that students use technology responsibly.
Technology companies and development organisations can also contribute tools and expertise, provided their involvement aligns with appropriate educational and data-protection standards.
RECOGNISING TEACHING EXCELLENCE
The World Teachers’ Day event also included the President’s Teachers’ and Schools’ Excellence Awards.
The awards recognise outstanding teachers, school administrators and schools for professionalism, innovation and leadership.
Alausa congratulated recipients and said their achievements should serve as examples for others.
The recognition is particularly relevant in an environment where teachers are being asked to adapt to major technological changes.
Teachers who successfully integrate digital tools while maintaining strong educational standards could provide useful examples for colleagues across the country.
However, the minister also recognised teachers who did not receive awards, stressing that their daily contributions remained valuable.
His message was that teaching excellence should not be measured only through annual awards.
It requires sustained commitment throughout the year.
TECHNOLOGY AND THE FUTURE OF WORK
The emphasis on AI in education also reflects changes taking place in the wider economy.
Employers increasingly expect workers to have digital skills, and technological change is altering the nature of many occupations.
Schools therefore have a responsibility to prepare students for a labour market in which AI and automation are likely to play increasingly important roles.
That preparation involves more than teaching students how to operate digital tools.
Students also need critical thinking, communication, creativity, adaptability and problem-solving abilities.
These are areas in which teachers remain important.
The education system must therefore produce graduates who can work with technology while also exercising independent judgement.
THE NEXT STAGE FOR NIGERIAN EDUCATION
The government's position suggests that Nigeria's education technology strategy will increasingly focus on partnership between teachers and digital tools.
Rather than asking whether AI will replace teachers, the more practical question is how educators can use AI to improve teaching while preserving the human qualities that make education effective.
That approach requires investment in training, infrastructure, digital literacy and professional development.
It also requires clear standards governing responsible technology use in schools.
If implemented carefully, AI could provide teachers with additional resources and give students new ways of accessing knowledge.
If adopted without adequate safeguards, however, it could introduce new challenges involving misinformation, privacy, inequality and academic integrity.
A CHANGING CLASSROOM
The classroom of the future is likely to contain more technology than the classroom of the past.
Students may increasingly interact with AI-supported learning systems, digital educational resources and personalised learning tools.
Teachers will need to understand these technologies and determine how they fit into established educational methods.
The government wants that transition to strengthen rather than weaken the teaching profession.
Alausa's World Teachers’ Day message therefore presents AI not as an opponent of teachers but as a tool whose usefulness will depend on how responsibly educators and institutions deploy it.
CONCLUSION
Nigeria is entering a period in which artificial intelligence will increasingly influence how people learn, work and access information.
The Federal Government's latest message is that the education sector must adapt to that transformation without losing sight of the human purpose of teaching.
Education Minister Tunji Alausa has called on teachers to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to use emerging technologies responsibly and confidently.
At the same time, he has stressed that artificial intelligence cannot replace the judgement, encouragement and human connection provided by skilled teachers.
The challenge for Nigeria is therefore not whether to embrace technology, but how to make technological progress work for teachers and learners across the country.
That will require sustained investment in teacher training, digital infrastructure, reliable connectivity, professional development and responsible technology use.
It will also require ensuring that students in rural and disadvantaged communities are not excluded from the benefits of digital education.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, Nigerian teachers will remain central to helping students understand not only what technology can do, but also how to use it responsibly.
The future classroom may be more digital, but the Federal Government's message on World Teachers’ Day is clear: technology should strengthen the teacher, not erase the teacher from education.