Femi Adeniran, Director of Corporate Communications and CSR at Airtel Nigeria, has joined other thought leaders to propose strategic solutions to advance Nigeria’s educational system, including Artificial Intelligence, for innovative teaching methodologies.

Adeniran made his remarks while speaking as part of a panel at the ‘Blackbelt Graduation Ceremony’ organized by 1 Million Teachers, an international teacher training organization, at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, on Saturday, 6th July 2024.

Airtel Nigeria was a co-sponsor of the 1 Million Teachers Blackbelt Graduation.

The panel titled “Leveraging Expertise and Innovations for Advancing Educational Reforms in Africa,” also featured faculty member, St. Lawrence, College, Canada, Patrick Egbunonu; Country Head, HP Nigeria, Emmanuel Asika; and Project Director, Seed Care and Support Foundation, Olanrewaju Oniyitan.

In his response to a question regarding school reputation management in the current dynamic environment enabled by digital media, Adeniran proposed a quality delivery as the most important ingredient for successful school marketing.

“Schools face restrictions on using children for advertising and publicity, making the institution rely on word-of-mouth to communicate achievements. On this note, schools must implement impactful programs that connect with their community.

“Direct and open communication platforms such as Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meetings keep parents informed of your strategies to help you spread to your community,” he said.

He added that continuous engagement with stakeholders on social media such as Instagram and LinkedIn would also play a vital role in enhancing the image of educational institutions.

Further addressing the concern about partnership to drive educational advancement, Mr. Femi Adeniran reiterated Airtel’s commitment towards education, highlighting its ongoing $57million partnership with UNICEF on the ‘Airtel/UNICEF Re-imagine Education’ program.

“In year 1, we connected 600 students. Now, we have 960 public schools that we are giving data to every month so they can access the learning platform developed by the Ministry of Education, The Learning Passport,” he noted.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Basic Education, Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun, who presented his remarks to round off the event, commended organizations that have approached the government to partner and support education over time.

He also charged Teachers to hold their occupation with jealousy and be prepared for more technological advancement to enable them to stay ahead of their students who are younger and fast-moving with technology.

One Million Teachers is an initiative committed to grooming high-quality teachers and fostering grassroots improvements through innovative approaches. Through the ‘Blackbelt Graduation Ceremony’, 1 Million Teachers celebrate teachers for their commitment to advancing their skills to effectively carry out their roles in the community.