The Adunni Foundation, a social impact organisation has unveiled the Basic Education Torchbearers Awards (BETA) to honour renowned and unsung heroes shaping the country’s basic education sector as part of activities to mark the 65th Independence anniversary of Nigeria.
According to the founder of the Foundation, Motunrayo Famuyiwa-Alaka, a development advocate, the maiden edition of the awards seeks to honour individuals, schools, and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to basic education while advocating for reforms in Nigeria’s struggling education system.
The former Nigerian Ambassador to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Michael Omolewa, an emeritus professor at University of Ibadan is expected to deliver the keynote address on the theme “Education is True Independence” at an event billed for 21 October at the NECA main hall, Alausa in Lagos.
Launched in the spirit of Independence, Mrs Alaka said the BETA initiative underscores the importance of education of every Nigerian child to national freedom, while recognising the undisputable roles played by individuals and institutions whose sacrifices, vision, and leadership laid the foundations for Nigeria’s learning journey.
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“While Nigeria won political independence in 1960, true independence will only be secured when every child has access to quality basic education. BETA reframes Independence Day as a moment to reflect on education as a foundational freedom and to honour those who made it possible,” Mrs Alaka said.
Highlights of the 2025 BETA include the Hope for Nigeria Talks, an interactive dialogue with school children on their hopes for education and civic values, alongside award presentations to exceptional educators, institutions, and students. A flagship intervention tagged ‘Edupendent: Education is Independence’ will also be unveiled.
Award categories
According to Mrs Alaka who is also the Executive Director/CEO of Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), the award is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (quality education), intersecting with SDGs 10 (reduced inequalities) and 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions).
The award categories she said, include: BETA Hero (Posthumous) for pioneers of basic education, Torchbearer Educator of Legacy for retired educators with lasting impact; Community Champion for Learning for non-educators advancing learning; BETA Institutional Builder Award for significant civil society, faith-based, and mission groups; BETA Alumni Impact Award for alumni and student groups supporting alma maters and BETA Most Brilliant Student Award for top performers in national examinations.
Call for partnership
The Adunni Foundation, chaired by founder and Chief Executive Officer of Precise Financial Systems (PFS),Yele Okeremi describes itself as a social impact organisation advancing sustainable development through interventions in education, democracy, and human capital development.
The foundation is seeking partners and sponsors to support BETA through funding, kind supports, or collaborations on event initiatives.
“Organisations can participate in platinum, gold, silver, or bronze partnership tiers, each offering opportunities for visibility, recognition, and active involvement in promoting basic education,” the foundation said.