Wale JAGUN
50-year-old female teacher, Mrs Elusakin Agnes Iyabo, from Oriwu Senior Model College, Ikorodu in Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria on Saturday emerged the 2019 overall best teacher in Nigeria.
She was presented with Hyundai Sonata car as star prize while Mr Adeeko Olakekan of Baptise Boys High School Abeakuta, Ogun State emerged as the 1st runner up.
The theme of this year’s World Teacher’s Day is, “Young Teachers: The Future of the Profession.”
President Muhammadu Buhari while presenting the awards to the outstanding teachers and schools on the occasion of this year’s world teacher’s day celebration in Abuja said the move was to appreciate the beneficiaries for work and excellence.
The President who was represented by Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami said that the Federal Government would initiate more collaboration with state governments with a view to training and retraining teachers in order to enhance their capacities for effective service delivery.
He said that his administration was working out more incentives to retain young graduates who are teaching in public schools in rural communities.
Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who was also represented at the ceremony stated that the federal government was taking necessary steps to implement the country’s commitment on the endorsement of Safe Schools Declaration and protection of students, teachers and schools from armed attacks.
He added that the present administration was focused on overhauling of schools, committed to educating every child and using education as a model for economic development.
The National President, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Muhammed Idris called for a special salary structure for teachers, noting that it would address the peculiarities of the teaching profession and give the profession a true identity and status.
