Mr. Imoh Essien, a
teacher from Special Education Center for Exceptional Children, Uyo, Akwa Ibom
State has emerged the 2016 Maltina Teacher of the Year at the grand finale in
Lagos on Thursday. For the feat, Mr. Essien was
rewarded with One Million Naira in addition to Five Hundred Thousand Naira he
received as state champion from Akwa Ibom. He will also get One Million Naira
every year for five years, a training program abroad and a block of
six classrooms built at his school.
Essien,
a teacher of Computer, Basic Sciences and Physical Education revealed that he
draws his inspiration for teaching from his fun loving personality through which
he is able to help children with special needs. He added that a strong
emotional and mental stability is vital to positively impact children with
special needs, a job he has done for twelve years.
Mohammed
Binta Lawan, an English teacher, from Borno State, who was the first runner-up
last year, repeated the feat this year, while Ogwu Patrick from Government Day
Secondary School, Adankolo, Lokoja, Kogi State emerged second runner-up.
While welcoming guests at the
event, the Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde
explained that Nigerian Breweries operates with a philosophy of “Winning with
Nigeria” and has championed causes that add value to the society since its
inception in 1946.
“In 1994, we raised the profile of
our support of the education sector when we established the Nigerian
Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund to enable us contribute to the
development of the sector. Everywhere in the world, teachers play a vital role
in sustainable national development by training, coaching and modeling which is
critical to determining the quality of education.
He informed that the company recently handed over a twin 3-bedroom
staff residence to Federal Government Girls College, Onitsha, in honour of last
year’s winner, Mrs. Roseline Obi.
He
thanked the stakeholders in the education sector for their support especially
the Federal Ministry of Education, the ministries of education in all the
states across the country, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, the All Nigeria
Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), the Teachers
Registration Council of Nigeria amongst several others.
Professor
Anthony Anwukah, the Minister of State for Education commended the initiative
and described it as laudable. He advised teachers to invest in themselves to
raise their standard, adding that the ministry looks forward to signing the
Memorandum of Understanding with Nigerian Breweries on the Maltina Teacher of
the Year initiative.
Deputy
Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, who was represented by Mrs.
Ajoke Gbeleyi, Director of Private and Special Education, Lagos State Ministry
of Education, described teachers as the most critical asset of the nation and
thanked Nigerian Breweries for the initiative she described as a big boost to
teachers and the teaching profession.
Pat
Utomi, the chairman of the Jury revealed that the job of selecting the winners was
challenging but enormously important because of the role teachers play in
moulding children.
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