Call2Luv Calls for Stronger Teacher Certification, Support for Low-Cost Schools

Call2Luv Calls for Stronger Teacher Certification, Support for Low-Cost Schools

The Call To Love Initiative (Call2Luv), a non-governmental organisation, has called for renewed efforts toward teacher certification and increased support for low-cost schools serving underserved communities.

Founder of Call2Luv, Omowunmi Akingbohungbe, made the appeal during the organisation’s 15th anniversary celebration and the inauguration of the Affordable and Inclusive Education Index (AIEI) held on Saturday in Lagos.

Akingbohungbe explained that the reform was aimed at strengthening the capacity of teachers and improving learning outcomes for children in low-income communities. She emphasised that the initiative was driven by the belief that every child deserves access to quality education delivered with dignity.

She urged stakeholders to take action based on evidence and invest more in both teachers and students to achieve meaningful impact.

Earlier, Chairman of the 15th Anniversary Planning Committee, Dr. Abiola Salami, described education as the bedrock of opportunity and stressed the need for urgent support for teacher accreditation and student development programmes.

“Education is the oxygen of opportunity,” he said.

Salami also highlighted the organisation’s impact over the years, noting that it has reached over 2,000 children, trained 500 teachers, and supported 22 low-cost schools in its efforts to transform lives.

He called on partners and donors to support initiatives such as teacher accreditation and summer camps, adding that the moment required commitment beyond words.

“This moment demands commitment beyond convenience, giving beyond comfort, and action beyond admiration,” he said.

Also speaking, Dr. Ronke Soyombo, Registrar and Chief Executive of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), said the initiative’s Education Observatory and AIEI would enhance evidence-based decision-making in the education sector.

According to Soyombo, a data-driven approach is essential to improving learning outcomes and supporting low-cost schools effectively.

“We cannot fix what we cannot measure,” she said.

She reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to teacher certification, stating that by December 2027, all teachers in classrooms must be licensed.

Soyombo also stressed the importance of keeping children in school and equipping teachers with professional training, noting that the streets cannot replace classrooms.

She added that the Accelerated Teacher Professionalisation Pathway would provide an opportunity for teachers without education degrees to undergo a six-month hybrid certification programme.

Efforts, she said, are ongoing to secure funding to sponsor at least 100,000 teachers nationwide.

Findings from the AIEI pilot study presented at the event revealed that 95.3 per cent of teachers reported that students struggle to pay school fees, while 61.5 per cent of teachers are uncertified. However, 93.3 per cent of respondents expressed willingness to obtain certification.

The anniversary also spotlighted the human story behind the initiative through a documentary tracing its origin to a young boy named Sunday, a hard-of-hearing car wash attendant who struggled to fund his examinations.

The story illustrated how Call2Luv evolved from supporting vulnerable children and orphanages into a broader organisation implementing summer camps, teacher training, and school improvement programmes.