The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, Senator Olamilekan Adeola Yayi on Monday unveiled his agenda for the education sector, promising improved welfare for teachers, sustained investment in schools and the faithful implementation of the National Teachers’ Policy if elected governor.

The pledge came during an interactive session with teachers held at the Ake Palace Pavilion, Abeokuta, where more than 17,000 teachers drawn from the 20 local government areas of the state, under various unions and support groups, formally adopted Sen. Yayi as their preferred candidate for the 2027 governorship election.

Addressing the gathering, Sen. Yayi described teachers as the bedrock of national development, saying no nation can attain meaningful progress without a motivated and well-supported teaching workforce.

He said his administration would faithfully implement the National Teachers’ Policy in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu while introducing additional measures to address the peculiar needs of teachers in Ogun State.

Sen. Yayi assured the teachers that they would never be neglected under his administration.

“I will never leave our teachers in the cold or abandon them. I understand the invaluable role you play in shaping our future and building the next generation of leaders. Your welfare, professional development and working environment will always receive the attention they deserve because no society can rise above the quality of its teachers.

“I will serve you. I will work with you. I will do your bidding and I promise to promote your interests. I will continue from where Governor Dapo Abiodun will stop,” he said.

The senator also said he had taken note of the concerns raised by the teachers, including their request for the scrapping of the Contributory Pension Scheme, assuring them that the matter would receive careful attention with a view to arriving at a fair and sustainable solution.

He commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for his investments in education, particularly in the areas of teachers’ welfare, school infrastructure and educational reforms, pledging to consolidate on the achievements of the present administration.

Sen. Yayi said his relationship with Ogun teachers dated back almost a decade through his consistent support for World Teachers’ Day celebrations, adding that his commitment to education had never been driven by politics.

He acknowledged that some teachers had suffered because of their association with him in the past but expressed appreciation for their steadfast support, assuring them that their confidence in him would not be misplaced.

Highlighting his interventions in the education sector over the past three and a half years, Sen. Yayi said he facilitated the construction of 128 classroom blocks, 56 staff rooms and four ultra-modern libraries across Ogun State to improve teaching and learning in public schools.

He added that the projects were complemented with the provision of furniture and over 300,000 textbooks in core subjects for pupils and students.

The senator also disclosed that he established 13 Information and Communication Technology Centres and eight Skills Acquisition Centres across the state, where thousands of teachers and students had been trained in digital skills, with 12,250 laptop computers distributed to participants.

According to him, more than 12,000 students of Ogun State origin have benefited from scholarships and bursaries facilitated by him, while 102 buses were donated to tertiary institutions to improve campus transportation.

Sen. Yayi further recalled sponsoring the legislation that upgraded the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, to the Federal University of Technology, Ilaro, describing it as one of his most significant contributions to expanding access to higher education in Ogun State.

He also disclosed that he paid the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination fees of 2,137 indigent students and had, over the years, sponsored the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board registration fees of more than 15,000 candidates of Ogun State origin.

The APC candidate said the interventions were inspired by his conviction that education remains the most effective instrument for social transformation and economic development, promising sustained investment in infrastructure, teacher welfare, educational technology, technical and vocational education and human capital development.

Reacting to the endorsement, former Acting Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Hon. Kayode Oladele, described the adoption of Sen. Yayi by over 17,000 teachers as unprecedented in the political history of Ogun State.

Oladele said teachers remain one of the most respected professional groups in society and do not give their support lightly.

According to him, no governorship candidate in recent memory has enjoyed such a broad and voluntary endorsement from teachers across the state.

“The adoption of Senator Yayi by over 17,000 teachers is unprecedented. It reflects the confidence they have in his leadership, his consistent investment in education and his commitment to the welfare of teachers. It is also another indication of his growing popularity and acceptance across Ogun State,” Oladele said.

He added that the endorsement demonstrated the confidence reposed in Sen. Yayi by critical stakeholders and reinforced the growing momentum behind his governorship aspiration across the three senatorial districts.