The 2018 Maltina Teacher of the Year (MTOY) champion, Mr Olasukanmi Opeifa, has described the award by the Nigerian Breweries PLC as one of the best and most inclusive in the world.
At a briefing to announce entries for 2019 MTOY at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos last Thursday, Opeifa, an English teacher at the Government Day Secondary School, Lauri, Abuja, said since winning the award, a lot of recognition had come his way.
“The MTOY is the biggest teacher prize in Nigeria. It is also the most inclusive of all teacher prizes in the world. I have received many awards since this award last year,” he said.
Opeifa said it took him two years to prepare for the MTOY during which time he improved his teaching skills, urging other teachers to invest in self development.
NB PLC Corporate Affairs Director Mrs Folasade Morgan said public and private school teachers across Nigeria could register for the 2019 MTOY, which opened last Friday, and would close July 12.
On prizes for the winners, she said the best teacher would get N6.5 million – N500,000 for being a state champion; N1 million for being the national winner; and N1 million yearly for five years as well as an overseas self-development training. She said the winner’s school would also get a block of classrooms.
The first runner-up would get N1 million; while the second runner up would get N750,000. Both would also get N500,000 each as state champions.
Mrs Morgan said the firm had also introduced an additional opportunity for more teachers who may not enter for the competition to win prizes if their former students nominate them on the firm’s online consumer engagement platform.
“This year edition of this project is symbolic, not just because it’s the fifth edition but also because we have added a new twist with the introduction of a consumer engagement online contest that is tagged: thatoneteacher. Thatoneteacher campaign is an online engagement platform that provides an opportunity for members of the public to nominate a teacher who has made notable impacts in their lives. So students can get involved here and co-op their school mates or friends to like, share and make comments on their post for the chance for that teacher and themselves to win a prize . We recognise that we live in a digital age and that in celebrating and recognising teachers, we should also have an opportunity to include in teachers that have retired, active and expand that base,” she said.
Director, Basic and Secondary Education, Federal Ministry of Education (FME), Abuja, Dr Lami Amodu, praised NB PLC for sponsoring the award, adding that the government was in support of the award and would encourage teachers in Unity Schools and other public schools to apply.
“The Nigerian Breweries and Maltina in particular are giving teachers a reason to aspire to be the best through the institutionalisation of the Maltina teacher of the year award. The Federal Ministry of Education fully supports, endorses and appreciates the effort of the Nigerian Breweries for giving a new meaning to corporate social responsibility in Nigeria. The yearnings for the Federal Ministry of Education, states ministry of education, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), ANCOPSS and all other stakeholders in education are being fully realised through this event. This is a major incentive to teachers to put in their very best as their reward is no longer in heaven but right here on earth,” she said.
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