In a bold step toward reshaping societal attitudes and protecting the next generation, no fewer than 45 male teachers have been equipped as frontline advocates for positive masculinity at a strategic engagement held at the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna.
The engagement, which focused on confronting harmful social practices and redefining traditional notions of manhood, positioned teachers as critical change agents within schools and communities.
Facilitators at the training emphasized that in many communities, young boys are growing up without strong, positive male role models. As a result, harmful stereotypes linking masculinity to dominance, aggression, or emotional suppression continue to thrive. The participants were therefore challenged to “stand in the gap” — demonstrating that true strength lies in respect, integrity, accountability, and the courage to protect the vulnerable.
Beyond their conventional classroom responsibilities, the teachers were urged to become advocates and mentors who model healthy behavior, promote gender equity, and challenge negative norms that perpetuate violence and discrimination.
Organizers noted that targeting teachers is a strategic intervention with a multiplier effect. By equipping educators with accurate information and advocacy tools, the initiative ensures that messages promoting positive masculinity will cascade directly to hundreds of students across schools, fostering safer and more inclusive learning environments.
Stakeholders at the event stressed that sustainable social change must begin within educational institutions, where attitudes are shaped early. They called for continued collaboration between education authorities, community leaders, and civil society organizations to scale up similar interventions across the state and beyond.
With trained educators now returning to their respective schools, expectations are high that classrooms will become hubs for nurturing a generation of boys who understand that leadership is rooted not in dominance, but in empathy, responsibility, and respect for others.
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