The Murdock-Thompson Center for Teachers and the Intellectual Giants of Africa Foundation recently honored a group of outstanding Nigerian educators at the 2025 Summer Fellowship for Innovative Teaching (SFIT) Awards Ceremony.
The event, held at Kingsville Schools in Abuja, with the theme ‘Harnessing Innovation To Shape Our Children’s future ‘ highlighted these organizations’ commitment to supporting and celebrating teachers who are driving innovation and equity in education.
Ambassador Emmanuel Idiagi, the Country Director of the Murdock-Thompson Center, noted that the SFIT Awards, which started in the United States and have now expanded to Africa, are designed to create positive educational change by empowering resourceful teachers. Many of these teachers’ efforts, he added, often go unrecognized.
Idiagi said The fellowship supports these innovative educators by providing them with funding to conduct research, write papers, and share their successful strategies with colleagues.
He explained that the ultimate goal is to encourage excellence and inspire teachers to become agents of change from within the education system.
Segun Abiri, a prominent Nigerian educationist and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Institute of Non-Formal Education Practitioners (INFEP), gave the keynote address.
He emphasized that systemic reforms alone aren’t enough to improve education.
The Murdock-Thompson Center, he explained, believes that focusing on the individual teacher is the key to lasting change.
Abiri stated that the awards not only offer financial support but also reinforce teaching as a noble profession and positively impact teachers’ personal and professional lives.
A previous SFIT award winner, Agnes Singbo-Oluwatudimu, shared her perspective, stating that traditional teaching methods are no longer sufficient to prepare children for a rapidly changing world.
She stressed that true innovation goes beyond just technology—it’s about a fundamental shift in teaching approaches. This includes adopting new methods that foster critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
”To secure a brighter future for our children, we must move beyond rote memorization and embrace teaching methods that empower them to become creators, not just consumers, of knowledge,” Agnes said.
She urged teachers to be agents of change by continuously seeking new ways to engage students and make learning relevant to their lives.
Emmanuel Olufemi, the project manager for this year’s event, passionately called on other organizations and institutions to follow suit in supporting educators.
He believes that a truly motivated teacher is the one who can shape and secure the future of our children.
The 2025 awards brought together educators, policymakers, and leaders to share best practices and explore solutions to systemic challenges in education.
The ceremony celebrated teachers who have demonstrated exceptional creativity and dedication in their classrooms, proving that with the right support, Nigerian educators can compete on a global scale.
The SFIT 2025 winners are, Salami Thomson, Kingsville schools Jahi, Abuja, Chukwudi Judith Chioma, Euston British International school, Rabiu Stephen Gbenga, Community Secondary school, Asokoro, Abuja, others are Awe Peter Ojo-Sola, Leadership Preparatory school, Kanshio Makurdi, Benue and Shidok Lazarus, Britarch schools, Abuja.
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