President Bola Tinubu and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, were on Friday honoured for their outstanding contributions to the development of education in Nigeria, particularly in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The awards of excellence were presented by the Zaria chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), in collaboration with the Local Government Education Authority and the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

The honours were conferred during an event marking the two-year anniversary of Speaker Abbas in office, themed ‘Iya Day’—in recognition of his traditional title, Iyan Zazzau.

In his remarks, Speaker Abbas expressed deep appreciation to the organisers, noting that the progress in Zaria’s educational development would not have been possible without the support of President Tinubu. He lauded the President’s responsiveness to developmental requests from Kaduna State, either through himself or the State Governor, Senator Uba Sani.

According to the Speaker, Zaria Federal Constituency has benefited immensely from federal government intervention projects since 2023, with more promised in the near future.

The award on behalf of President Tinubu was received by the Minister of State for Regional Development, Ubah Maigari Ahmadu, who was also present at the event.

Abbas personally presented the award. The minister used the opportunity to announce a new initiative by his ministry to upgrade selected schools to promote leadership development among students.

Prominent stakeholders at the event included the Chairman of Zaria Local Government, Engr. Jamil Ahmad Muhammad; the Chairman of Kaduna SUBEB, Muhammad Mubarak; and the Executive Secretary of the Zaria Local Education Authority, Dr. Hassana Muhammad. In their separate remarks, they commended Speaker Abbas for his unwavering commitment to education, teacher welfare, and infrastructure development.

They highlighted his achievements, including the construction and renovation of over 116 primary schools, and significant support for teachers’ welfare and capacity development.

In a major announcement, Speaker Abbas pledged to establish a fund to support teachers who wish to further their education.

“I remember when I was a teacher. It wasn’t easy to combine teaching with studying, but I did it. Zaria was fortunate to have many institutions early on, and I took advantage of that opportunity,” he said. “Now, I want to give back by setting up a fund for teachers who wish to pursue further studies but lack the financial means.”

To ease mobility for educators, the Speaker has also distributed 116 motorcycles to head teachers and promised an additional 500 motorcycles for classroom teachers.

Further demonstrating his commitment to education, Speaker Abbas has funded scholarship payments ranging from ₦200,000 to ₦800,000 for hundreds of tertiary students, and covered WAEC/NECO and JAMB fees for over 3,000 secondary school students for the 2024 and 2025 academic sessions.

Clearly moved by the recognition from the teachers, the Speaker reiterated that his interventions stemmed from a deep love for education and gratitude for the profession that laid the foundation for his success.

“I never ask for recognition for what I do. I’m truly touched by this gesture. It affirms my belief that investments in education are never in vain,” he said. “Teaching is a noble calling, and I will continue to do everything within my power to support those who dedicate their lives to it.”

He also pledged to revive extracurricular activities and promote sports development among youths. He announced plans to establish a modern sports centre to nurture talents and called for the return of inter-house sports competitions in both primary and secondary schools.

“In the past 30 years, we’ve neglected sports development. It’s no wonder our athletes struggle to gain recognition. We want to produce the next Muhammad Ali, Kanu Nwankwo, Atanda Musa, or Ahmed Musa from Zaria,” he said.

The Speaker also advocated for the return of inter-school quiz competitions, recalling that some of the brightest minds he sponsored in such contests have gone on to excel both at home and abroad.