….. Star prize is N6.5m, training abroad for winner
By Gabriel Dike
The Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc on Thursday flagged off the 9th edition of the Maltina Teacher of the year competition with the star prize at N6.5million.
This year’s edition, two new sponsors, Air Peace and Stanbic Bank were unveiled in Lagos at a media briefing to announce the flag-off of the 2023 competition for both public and private secondary school teachers.
The briefing of the 2023 Maltina Teacher award attracted stakeholders such as officials of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), representatives of Air Peace and Stanbic Bank.
In address, the NB Managing Director, who was represented by the Company Secretary/Legal Director, Mr. Uaboi Agbebaku, said the application opened on May 25th and would end on July 21st, 2023.
He acknowledged that teachers play a crucial role in the education of children and that NB has started the journey for 2023 to celebrate Nigerian teachers.
The MD announced two new sponsors of the annual award, adding, “this year, we have potential partners for the competition, Air Peace and Stanbic Bank. The project has the endorsement of the Federal Ministry of Education, NUT, ANCOPSS and TRCN.”
In her presentation, the Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs. Sade Morgan, said the Maltina Teacher of the year competition is the brain child of the Felix Ohaweri Trust Fund and that since 2015, the award has improved teachers’ classroom delivery.
She stated: “We have delivered on our promises since 2015. We have taken teachers to oversea trainings, pay their prize money and constructed a block of classrooms or provide a computer laboratory.”
Morgan described the Maltina teacher award as a catalyst that has taken Nigerian teachers to global recognition.
She disclosed that the winner would receive N6.5million, 1st runner-up goes home with N1,500,000, 2nd runner-up gets N1, 250,000 and state champions receive N500,000.
The NUT General Secretary, represented by Mrs. Yemisi Manu, said since 2015, about 210 secondary school teachers have benefitted from the competition.
He called on other corporate organizations to emulate NB to recognize teachers and promote education.
Chairman of ANCOPSS Lagos State chapter, Mr. Marsheyi Olushola, said the competition has renewed the confidence of teachers in terms of receiving reward on earth and their improved performance in the classroom.
He confirmed that many teachers are now interested in the Maltina teacher of the year award because the process is transparent.
The TRCN Lagos Coordinator, Princess Adaobi Ekwuno, lauded NB for the initiative and described the competition as noble and a way to boost education.
She assured NB management that TRCN would help to reach out to more teachers to register for the competition.