By Juliana Francis
The Adunni Foundation will hold the 2026 Basic Education Torchbearers Awards, BETA, on Wednesday, 21 October, in Lagos, with a call for Nigeria’s basic education system to place the child at the centre of policy and investment.
The event will take place at Foundation of Truth Assembly, FOTA, 40/42 Imam Dauda Street, off Eric Moore Road, Surulere.
Registration opens at 9:30 a.m., and the programme runs from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The theme is “The Child at the Centre: What Must Change in Nigeria’s Basic Education?.”
The gathering will bring together pupils, teachers, and education stakeholders to celebrate contributions to basic education and discuss necessary reforms.
Top-performing pupils in the National Common Entrance Examination, NCEE and the Basic Education Certificate Examination, BECE, commonly known as Junior WAEC, will also be recognised.
The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Ms. Motunrayo Alaka, said the approach to basic education must be measured by children’s real experiences.
“Basic education must be judged by what children experience, what they learn and the opportunities they can access,” she said.
“Placing the child at the centre requires us to address learning outcomes, teachers, infrastructure, inclusion, safety and the responsibilities of every stakeholder. BETA 2026 offers an opportunity to move these concerns towards shared responsibility and action.”
Speakers include the Board Chairperson of The Adunni Foundation, Dr. Yele Okeremi; Ms. Alaka; the Medical Director of Grachelle Multi-Specialty Hospital and Fertility Clinic, Dr. Ede-Edokpolor Osazuwa; the Managing Director of Speedmeals Culinary Limited, Chef Tobias Igwe; Miss Aanuoluwapo Ojewunmi of the Young Aerospace Professionals Initiative, YAPI; and Legal Consultant, Mr. Aderemi Durojaiye.
The Founder of CAST Public Relations, Mr. Babajide Benson, will compere the event.
The programme will feature “Hope Nigeria Talks”, a platform for children to share their hopes for education and the Nigeria they will inherit.
A career session, “Uniforms and Dreams: Careers That Serve Nigeria”, will connect pupils with professionals and introduce them to career opportunities through education.
The maiden edition in 2025 honoured individuals and institutions whose contributions helped lay important foundations for basic education.
This year, BETA shifts attention to the child and the changes needed to secure a better future.
The initiative is anchored on the conviction that “Education is Independence” and calls for every child to have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills and confidence to fulfil their potential and contribute meaningfully to society.
It supports the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 4 on quality education.
The Foundation has invited stakeholders and the public to renew their commitment to placing children at the heart of decisions and investments in basic education.
The Adunni Foundation is committed to expanding access to quality basic education, broadening opportunities for young people, and supporting sustainable community development. BETA recognises outstanding contributions to basic education in Nigeria.
In 2025, it launched the #EduPendent Campaign, which mobilises stakeholders to advance access to quality basic education and address the challenge of out-of-school children.
