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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said while the Federal Ministry of Education was making attempt to revamp the sector through its strategic plan, the private sector remains a key ally in supporting development of education in the country.
He said the private sector has been at the forefront of lifting the sector through continuous investment in educational infrastructure, encouragement of teachers and students as well as the entire value chain in the country.
Osinbajo, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Uwajiuba, stated this at the 2019 Maltina Teacher of the Year award.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) retained the award for the second time, as Collins Ezem, a Christian Religious and Civic Education teacher at Royal Family Academy, Wuse, Abuja, emerged winner for his innovative approach to teaching.
He said rejigging the education sector was a strategic plan aimed at revamping the sector, which involves addressing out-of-school issues, strengthening basic and secondary education, training and retraining of teachers, as well as addressing adult literacy challenges.
Osinbajo, who congratulated the winner and other finalists on their recognition, urged them and their colleagues to be more committed to their profession, commended the Nigerian Breweries for providing the platform to celebrate teachers and changing the cliché that ‘teachers reward is in heaven’.
Also speaking, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Folasade Adefisayo, said teachers remain critical stakeholders in the education sector and therefore deserved recognition and celebration.
He said teachers’ roles in the development of human society cannot be quantified, while he urged other corporate organisations and philanthropic individuals to take a cue from Nigerian Breweries gesture by joining government at all levels to provide more befitting learning and teaching environment for schools.
Speaking, Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries, Jordi Borrut Bel, said the award was to recognise hard work and diligence among teachers, so as to boost their morale for improved performance and by extension, development of education in the country.
He noted that an independent panel of judges headed by Prof. Pat Utomi assessed all 1,310 entries received this year from which the best three emerged.
Borrut Bel assured that the company would continue to add value to the teaching profession, education sector and the economy.
However, Ezem, 38, received a cash prize of N6.5m and training abroad, while a block of classrooms will be built for his school, just as Soji Megbowon from Lagos State emerged first runner-up, while Fidelis Otono, from Katsina State clinched the second runner-up position.
