Collins Ezem, winner of the 2019 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award says the next step for him after winning the award is that he will teach and collaborate better with other teachers nationally and internationally, adding that he will participate in workshop, facilitate workshop to ensure that Nigerian teachers get better.
Ezem a Christian Religion and civic education teacher at Royal Family academy, Wuye Abuja observes that there are new trends in teaching that will actually need to share professionally so that the teaching and learning in classrooms will be better.
Speaking after emerging worthy winner of the coveted award received a total cash prize of N6.5 million and capacity training abroad 38 years old Ezem express his gratitude for winning the award, adding that he is very happy that teachers are now getting recognised and appreciated for the good job they do.
According to Ezem, “This award will be a great inspiration for teacher as I will try my best to encourage and train more teachers to build very strong philosophy of teaching and learning; to make teaching attractive and finally give fulfillment and money in the future”.
Jordi Borrut Bel, managing director, Nigerian Breweries Plc while speaking at the event explains that in 2015, the company’s intervention in education was expanded to include teachers when the Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative was launched.
The initiative, Bel says was hinged on the realisation that teachers hardly get the recognition they deserve despite the pivotal role they play in determining the quality of education and the future of the country.
According to Bel, “The initiative has provided a platform for exceptional teachers to be identified, showcased and rewarded. It is also aimed at restoring the pride of teachers and the dignity of the teaching profession”.
In his own remarks, the vice president Federal Republic of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo says it is important to note that this Journey towards excellence in the teaching profession and the recognition of teacher is a continues one.
Osinbajo who was represented by Chukwuemeka Uwajiuba, Minister of State for Education says the revitalising of education sector is a strategic ministerial plan aimed at revamping the sector.
“This plan involve addressing the out of school issues, strengthen basic and secondary education, training and retraining of teachers, adult literacy challenges in education as well,” he said.
The vice president lauded Nigerian Breweries Plc for being at the forefront of improving the education sector by continually investing in educational infrastructure, encouraging teachers and students and the entire value chain.
The journey to receiving this N6.5 million award, blocks of classroom for his school started earlier in the year when Ezem was nominated. After the screening of all nominated candidates and portfolio presentation of the successful candidates, Ezem was declared winner by the panel of judges.
On the same night, Soji Megbowon from Lagos State emerged the first runner-up, while Fidelis Otono, a Katsina State clinched the second runner-up position.
Apart from the N500,000 reward as State Champion, the first and second runners-up got an additional One Million Naira (N1, 000, 000) and Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N750, 000) respectively.
In attendance at the fifth edition of the programme held at Eko Hotels and Suite , Victoria Island, Lagos, were thought leaders in the Nigerian education sector, Representatives of the Federal and Lagos State government and industry operators.
Since its debut, the Maltina Teacher of the Year has produced four grand prize winners. At the inaugural edition in 2015, a teacher with the Federal Government Girls College, Onitsha, Anambra State, Rose Nkemdilim Obi blazed the trail, while Imoh Essien, a teacher from Special Education Centre for Exceptional Children, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, won in 2016.
In 2017, Felix Udochukwu Ariguzo, a teacher with Mastercare International School, Asaba, Delta State, emerged winner, while Samuel Olasunkanmi Opeifa from Government Secondary School, Abuja emerged champion in 2018.
