Ashoka Africa Enhances Teachers' Skills to Improve Student Learning Outcomes
On September 29, 2024, Ashoka Africa celebrated the graduation of 52 teachers from its CTEACH program in Lagos, aimed at enhancing educators' skills to improve student learning outcomes. Josephine Nzerem, regional director for Ashoka Anglophone West Africa, emphasized the importance of equipping teachers with the right tools to boost their performance and inspire their students to become changemakers.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
Ashoka Africa, an organization committed to social innovation, has successfully enhanced the skills and knowledge of teachers in selected public schools, significantly improving student learning outcomes. At the 2024 graduation ceremony for the Ashoka Africa CTEACH program held in Lagos, Josephine Nzerem, regional director for Ashoka Anglophone West Africa, emphasized that equipping teachers with the necessary tools and resources directly impacts their classroom performance and ultimately benefits their students.
Nzerem stated that Ashoka Africa aims to transform the education sector through a network of inspired teachers who can lead their students to become changemakers. She noted that the CTEACH program has successfully shifted teachers' perceptions of their roles, empowering them to become influential figures in their classrooms and communities. "Ashoka Africa will always support teachers, guiding them through processes that enhance their visibility and impact," Nzerem added.
Angelou Ezeilo, co-president of Ashoka Africa and CTEACH director, highlighted that the CTEACH Changemaker Teacher Activation Program is designed to improve change-making skills among young public school teachers. Over the past year, 52 teachers from various educational districts have gained valuable skills, including conscious empathy, leadership, and collaboration.
Ezeilo explained, “We are instigating a mindset shift; we want to reconnect teachers with their initial motivations for entering the profession. Our goal is to make change-making a lifestyle and prepare the next generation of teachers for future challenges.”
Agboola Samuel, valedictorian of the first CTEACH cohort, shared his transformative experience, stating that the program instilled in him essential change-making skills. He praised Ashoka for guiding him and his fellow teachers in understanding new concepts like conscious empathy in education.
Ayomide Akran, an Ashoka Young Changemaker and founder of Pink Diva, launched her book during the event, focusing on her change-making journey. Akran's initiative aims to tackle period poverty among young girls in underserved communities by providing cost-effective, reusable menstrual hygiene products made from sustainable materials.
David Onilude, founder of Technow, a global not-for-profit organization, shared his mission of empowering underserved youth with digital literacy skills. Established during the COVID-19 pandemic, Technow aims to ensure that young people in rural communities have access to quality education and resources to become self-sufficient.
The CTEACH Changemaker Teachers Activation initiative by Ashoka is structured as a one-year learning journey for Junior Secondary School (JSS1 to JSS3) teachers in Lagos State, designed to equip them with the skills needed to thrive in the 21st-century educational landscape.
