Collins Ezem, a Christian Religion and Civic Education teacher at Royal Family academy, Wuye Abuja for his truly innovative approach to teaching pupils, has emerged worthy winner of the 2019 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award.
Thirty-eight- year-old Ezem for winning the coveted award received a total cash prize of N6.5 million and capacity training abroad while a block of classrooms will be built for his school.
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 Champions, 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.
For Ezem, the journey to receiving this award started earlier in the year when he 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.
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 governments and industry operators.
Expressing his gratitude for winning the award, Ezem said he was very happy that teachers are now getting recognised and appreciated for the good job they do.
“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, ” Ezem said.
Ezem further stated that the next step after winning the award was to teach and collaborate better with other teachers nationally and internationally, adding that he would participate in workshops, facilitate workshops to ensure that Nigerian teachers got better.
“There are new trends in teaching that will actually need to be shared professionally so that the teaching and learning in classrooms will be better”, he said.
Jordi Borrut Bel, managing director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, sponsors of the award, explained 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 said was hinged on the realisation that teachers hardly get the recognition they deserve despite the pivotal roles they play in determining the quality of education and the future of the country.
“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,” Bel said.
In his own remarks, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said it was 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, said revitalising education sector was a strategic ministerial plan aimed at revamping the sector.
“This plan involves addressing the out-of-school issues, strengthening 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.
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.
