The Adunni Foundation has announced the 2026 edition of the Basic Education Torchbearers Awards (BETA), calling for urgent reforms that place children at the centre of Nigeria’s basic education system.
The event, scheduled for Wednesday, 21st October, 2026, at the Foundation of Truth Assembly, 40/42 Imam Dauda Street, off Eric Moore Road, Surulere, Lagos.
It will bring together pupils, teachers, education professionals and other stakeholders to discuss challenges facing basic education and explore practical solutions.
Theme, The Child at the Centre: What Must Change in Nigeria’s Basic Education?, the programme will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with registration opening at 9:30 a.m.
According to the Foundation, BETA 2026 will celebrate individuals and institutions contributing to basic education while recognising outstanding pupils who performed exceptionally well in the National Common Entrance Examination and the Basic Education Certificate Examination, popularly known as Junior WAEC.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Adunni Foundation, Motunrayo Alaka, said the event would provide an opportunity to examine the realities of children’s learning experiences and identify the changes needed to improve educational outcomes.
Alaka said Basic education must be judged by what children experience, what they learn and the opportunities they can access.
She explained that putting children first requires deliberate attention to learning outcomes, teacher quality, educational infrastructure, inclusion, school safety and the responsibilities of all stakeholders.
According to her, BETA 2026 is designed to move conversations about these challenges towards collective responsibility and practical action.
The event will feature prominent speakers, including the Foundation’s Board Chairperson, Dr Yele Okeremi; Alaka; Dr Ede-Edokpolor Osazuwa, Medical Director of Grachelle Multi-Specialty Hospital and Fertility Clinic; and Chef Tobias Igwe, Managing Director of Speedmeals Culinary Ltd.
Others are Miss Aanuoluwapo Ojewunmi of the Young Aerospace Professionals Initiative (YAPI) and legal consultant Aderemi Durojaiye. Babajide Benson, Founder of CAST Public Relations, will serve as the compere.
Beyond recognising academic excellence, the programme will provide opportunities for children to express their aspirations and engage with professionals from different fields.
One of its major highlights, “Hope Nigeria Talks,” will give children a platform to share their hopes for education and the kind of Nigeria they want to inherit.
Another session, titled “Uniforms and Dreams: Careers That Serve Nigeria,” will introduce pupils to career opportunities and connect them with professionals who can help broaden their understanding of how education can shape their future.
The Foundation said the sessions were intended to remind stakeholders that children should not merely be recipients of educational policies but active participants in conversations about their learning, aspirations and future.
The 2026 edition builds on the inaugural BETA held in 2025, which honoured individuals and institutions whose contributions helped strengthen the foundations of basic education in Nigeria.
While the maiden edition focused on recognising those who had made significant contributions to the sector, this year’s programme shifts attention to the child and the reforms required to create better learning opportunities.
Anchored on the belief that “Education is Independence,” the initiative advocates a system in which every Nigerian child has access to quality basic education and the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to fulfil their potential.
The Foundation also linked the initiative to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4, which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Through its #EduPendent Campaign, launched in 2025, the Foundation has continued to advocate improved access to basic education, efforts to address the challenge of out-of-school children and greater commitment to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive.
The Adunni Foundation has therefore called on government institutions, educators, parents, civil society organisations, the private sector and other members of the public to renew their commitment to making children’s needs central to decisions and investments in basic education.
The Foundation maintains that improving Nigeria’s education system requires more than celebrating academic achievements; it demands sustained action to ensure that children receive the support, resources and opportunities necessary to build a better future.
