**N50,000 Wardrobe, ₦10,000 Transport Allowances for 21,167 Public School Teachers
•₦500,000 Support Grant for Each of 1,776 Registered Private Schools
*Approves Recruitment of Additional 2,000 Teachers
*Announces Prof. Philip Afaha as Pioneer Vice Chancellor of Akwa Ibom State University of Education
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has declared a state of emergency on the state’s educational system, announcing a major welfare package for teachers and support for registered private schools across the state.
Speaking on Monday at the 2026 World Teachers’ Day Celebration at the Uyo Township Stadium, Governor Eno approved a ₦50,000 wardrobe allowance and ₦10,000 transport allowance for each of the 21,167 public school teachers across the state.
He also approved a ₦500,000 support grant for each of the 1,776 registered private schools in Akwa Ibom State.
The Governor further approved the recruitment of an additional 2,000 teachers into the state civil service, with the recruitment portal expected to open soon. He urged qualified Akwa Ibom indigenes to take advantage of the opportunity when the process begins.
As part of the emergency response, Governor Eno announced the constitution of an Education Emergency Committee, to be headed by the Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, with the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ubong Umoh, and other members.
The Committee is mandated to undertake an overall emergency turnaround of the state’s educational system, addressing critical gaps and repositioning the sector to meet the expectations of the Governor under the ARISE Agenda.
Declaring that teachers should benefit from the fruits of their service while still alive, Governor Eno said: “Teachers’ reward is in heaven, but I say no. Teachers’ reward is here. My belief is that your reward begins here.”
Highlighting other interventions by his administration, the Governor cited the construction of 38 model primary schools across the 31 local government areas, payment of WAEC and NABTEB fees for secondary school students, and the clearance of outstanding contributory pension obligations.
He further disclosed that about ₦2.4 billion in outstanding teachers’ gratuities had been paid, stressing that teachers’ welfare remained a critical component of his administration’s investment in education.
The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ubong Umoh, commended the Governor for the interventions in the sector, particularly improvements in teachers’ welfare, payment of allowances and the provision of a conducive environment for teaching and learning.
The Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Edet Emenyi, expressed the union’s support for the administration, citing its interventions in education and attention to teachers’ welfare.
Similarly, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Sunny James, commended the administration for addressing outstanding teachers’ gratuities.
At the celebration, Governor Eno also announced the formal transition of the Akwa Ibom State College of Education to the Akwa Ibom State University of Education, following the passage of the enabling law by the State House of Assembly.
He named Professor Philip Afaha as the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the newly established university. Governor Eno said his administration would continue to invest in education, stressing that the sector should be regarded as a long-term investment in the future of Akwa Ibom, rather than an avenue for political competition.
