FEDERAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION COMMENDS NB PLC FOR MALTINA TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Vivian Nkem, Head, Government Relations, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education and Mrs. O. A. Ariba, Deputy Director, Basic Education at the Federal Ministry of Education during Nigerian Plc's management team visit to the Federal Ministry of Education as part of sensitization efforts of the ongoing Maltina Teacher of the Year Award initiative of the company in Abuja at the weekend

The Federal Ministry of Education has thrown it's weight behind the Maltina Teacher of the  Year , a reward programme that seeks to recognise, reward and train Nigerian teachers. According to the Ministry, this effort by Nigerian Breweries will encourage other corporate organisations to identify and support the Ministry’s programmes geared towards development of the education sector in Nigeria.

Speaking during a visit by Nigerian Breweries Management team led by Mr. Kufre Ekanem, the Corporate Affairs Adviser to the Ministry at the weekend, Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, said that the Ministry of Education is happy with Nigerian Breweries Plc. for flagging off such a laudable project at this time in the nation’s history.

“I want to commend Nigerian Breweries plc for initiating the Maltina Teacher of the Year programme because it aligns perfectly with our vision to bring back the glory days when teaching was a respectable profession and people took pride in teaching. We all must join hands to bring dignity and prestige to teachers if we want to see improvement in our education system,” he said.

Dr. Nawobiala pledged the Ministry’s support to ensure the success of the programme. He called on teachers nationwide to take advantage of the Maltina Teacher of Year Award to improve their career development and teaching practice in general.

The Maltina Teacher-of-the-Year, launched in May, is set to splash over N50 million on Nigerian teachers. The winner of the coveted award will get one million naira cash upon his/her emergence at the finals while one million naira to be paid into his/her account annually in the next five years. The Teacher of the Year will also be sent abroad for training by the company.  The 1^st runner-up will take home one million naira, while the second runner-up gets seven hundred and fifty thousand naira.  Winners from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT will be given five hundred thousand naira each. The school that produces the national winner will also become a beneficiary of infrastructural development projects.

The award initiated by Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, is aimed at restoring the pride of teachers and the dignity of the teaching profession. The award has generated an unprecedented interest from teachers across the country. Reports from collation centres across the country indicate that hundreds of secondary school teachers are enthusiastically submitting entries for the coveted award.

According to Emete Tonukari, the CSR/Sustainability Manager of Nigerian Breweries Plc. all applications will be subjected to intense selection and judging process by an external and independent panel of judges which has been constituted to ensure transparency, credibility and objectivity of the exercise. The 5-step evaluation process of the entries received, she noted, will result in 36 states and FCT champions, from among which the Maltina Teacher- of- the- Year will emerge.

The state champions and national winners will be celebrated in a grand ceremony on Monday, October 5, 2015, a day set aside by the United Nations to mark the World Teachers Day. “We hope that through this initiative, we can inspire the nation to accord our teachers their deserved credit and bring back respect to the teaching profession in Nigeria, “ Kufre said, adding that the objective of the award is to create an avenue where exceptional teachers will be showcased and rewarded annually and continuously.

Emete disclosed that deadline for entry for the award has been extended to Friday, July 24^th, 2015 in response to teachers’ yearnings across the country. She advised interested teachers to download the application forms from the Maltina website, www.maltina-nigeria.com and upload to the site or return via the company’s post office mail box at P.M.B. 12632, Marina, Lagos. Also, she enjoined teachers who have issues with collection and submission of forms to seek assistance either by sending email to maltinateacheroftheyear@heineken.com or call 01-2717419 for further enquiries.