By IKEM OKUHU

Footprints of previous winners of Nigerian Breweries sponsorship project in the education sector indicate that the brand have been making the right choices in the selection of winners.

For more than 10 years, the Maltina Teacher of the Year awards have been making quiet but significant impacts in inspiring teachers, the creators of the nation?s manpower base to great heights. With serial failures in state institutions to inspire resurgence n the nation?s most critical sector, the intervention of Nigerian Breweries in putting together this annual event has made phenomenal impacts.

But it is one thing to organize awards and make gallant shows, but it is another to establish credible processes that ensure the best turn out in the end. Looking back, it would appear that the brewing giant have made the right choices in selecting those it crowns as the best teachers in the county.

For instance, Imoh Enoh Essien, a teacher with the Special Education Centre for Exceptional Children, Uyo, who won the grand prize winner in 2019, emerged the winner of the ?Fulbright Teacher Excellent Award three years after being crowned the Maltina Teacher of the Year. Similarly, Opeifa Olasunkanmi, the 2018 winner also emerged as one of the top 10 finalists at the 2020 Global Teacher Award, where he was also recognized by the Ogun State government in 2021, and presented with a 3-bedroom apartment.

Imoh Essien believes his role, as a top-class professional caregiver, tutor and guide to children with special needs, can best be achieved through the cooperative efforts of teachers, principals, support personnel and their parents. And this he pursues to the letter in his daily professional activities.

Another previous winner, Rose Nkemdilim Obi, who won the maiden edition of the competition, has also gone to prove her mettle in creatively teaching two seemingly ?difficult ? subjects, Chemistry and Mathematics.

The Anambra State-based STEM educator?s style centres on fostering a supportive, inspiring, interactive and inclusive classroom environment for in-depth learning, one of the values the jurors believed set her apart from others.

Such is the quality that set her apart and which has continued to impact on what she dispenses to students till this day.

It was the same qualities that the panel for the 2024 awards led by Prof Pat Utomi factored in selecting Esomofu Chidiebere Ifechukwu, who teaches at Crown Grace School, Mararaba, Nassarawa State as the winner of this year?s award.

At a colourful ceremony held in Lagos on October 11, 2024, Esomofu received awards for himself and his school valued at more than N30 million. In addition to these, he will also be exposed to capacity training programmes abroad to further develop his knowledge for the dispensation of knowledge.

It was not a winner-takes-all event as consolation prices were also made available for the runners up, who took home N3,000,000, and N2,000,000 for the first runner-up and second runner-up respectively.

Speaking at the award ceremony, the Managing Director, NB Plc, Hans Essaadi, expressed the delight that the objectives of setting up the competition has always been achieved.

Essaadi stressed the need to reward and celebrate Nigerian teachers, for their daily sacrifices, toils and efforts at shaping the minds of future leaders. This, he added, has been the driving force of the collaboration between the company and the Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fundn to champion the cause of teachers.

He expressed the delight that the Fund, set up with the sum of N100million, in 1994, has continued to make positive impacts in the lives of teachers, and the practice of teaching.

To further demonstrate the determination of the company not to spare any effort in ensuring that the competition continues to achieve its set goals, the NB Plc boss explained that organisers increased the cash prizes for the winning categories in this year?s edition, with the star winner going home with the sum of N10m, instead of the N5m cash prize in previous editions.

The process of selecting the winners start from state levels, and proceed to the national level where the overall winners are selected. All state champions are not left empty handed as each champion are given recognition plaques in addition to cash prizes of N1 million.

The Managing Director of NB Plc sees it as a way of reemphasizing the premium the business places on education, empowering Nigerian teachers, and creating a sustainable future.

?We are in Nigeria for the long haul and as an employer of thousands of Nigerians directly and indirectly, we feel the sense of commitment to support those who prepare our children for future leadership,? Esssaadi said.

The Increasing popularity and acceptance of the Maltina Teacher of the Year competition among Nigerians and stakeholders, especially in the nation?s education sector constitutes one of the thrilling factors for Sade Morgan, the company?s Corporate Affairs Director.

According to Morgan, a total 1,477 teachers submitted entries for this year?s competition out of which 1,300 were eventually shortlisted. Of this number, 11 teachers reached the final stage of the competition, representing far higher figures, compared with those recorded last year.

Beside the increase in the cash prizes for the winner and the first and second runners up, another of the uniqueness of the latest edition was the emergence of 11 teachers for the final stage. Morgan described it as evidence that the competition is getting fiercer every year.

?Unlike in the past, what we ended up having at this year?s edition, were the top 11 teachers, for the final event, instead of the top 10 of the past editions because we had a tie among two of the participants,? she stated.

Morgan also believed the competition has enabled the company contribute its quota l to the overall development of the educational sector across the country, particularly at the secondary level, by elevating the prestige and perception of teachers.

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