Nigerian Breweries Plc., NBplc, has restated its commitment to educational development by sustaining the ‘Maltina Teachers of the Year’ initiative, geared towards the improvement and motivation of teachers through reward.
This year, the initiative produced and rewarded not less than 26 teachers from different states with N500,000 each for their outstanding work.
Managing Director, NBplc, Mr. Jordi Borrut Bel explained that in line with its philosophy of ‘Winning with Nigeria’, the company resolved in 1994, to play a more active role in the development of education in the country, which was why it established the Nigerian Breweries – Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund with a commencement capital of N100 million.
He added that in 2015, the company’s intervention in education was expanded to include teachers when the ‘Maltina Teacher of the Year’ initiative was launched.
According to him, the idea was hinged on the realisation that teachers hardly got the recognition they deserved in spite of the pivotal role they play in determining the quality of education and the future of the country.
He said that the committed fund has so far impacted over 25,000 students with over 400 classrooms, 30 libraries and laboratories built in over 40 communities across Nigeria.
The programme this year saw an Abuja based teacher, Olasunkanmi Samuel Opeifa, win the teacher of the year award.
Opeifa, a teacher in Government Day Secondary School, Karu, Abuja was rewarded with one million Naira in addition to N500,000 he received as state champion from Abuja.
He will also get N1 million every year for the next five years and a block of six classrooms built at his school.
Olalekan Adeeko, a Computer Studies teacher from Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta, Ogun State emerged the first runner-up, while Mr. Samuel Temitope Popoola, a Physics teacher with Deeper Life High School, Akure, Ondo State clinched the second runner-up position.
Apart from the N500,000 reward, as State Champion, the first and second runners-up got an additional N1 million and N750,000, respectively.
In his remark, Opeifa said: “Today, I am very happy and proud to say that teachers’ rewards are both in heaven and on earth. My father never believed in me as a teacher, but my passion kept me going on the job. I’m indeed happy for a day like this; I want to specifically thank my wife who has been supportive. This appreciation can only make me get better.”
