A total of 172 teachers from 29 states and the Federal Capital Territory would slug it out in the 2023 edition of the Maltina Teacher of the Year competition, organised by the Nigerian Breweries/Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund.
 
Out of the 1,203 valid entries received, only 172 teachers with the highest scores qualified for the next round.
   
Speaking on the first grading exercise, the Project Consultant, Prof. Uchenna Udeani, explained that the entries were carefully scrutinised and graded by a team of experienced lecturers.
 
At the end of the exercise, Udeani said 172 teachers made the cut-off with the highest scores, and would be passed to the panel of judges for final grading that will produce the top 10 candidates and state champions.
   
In her remarks, the Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mrs. Sade Morgan, expressed satisfaction with the number of participating teachers in this year’s edition. 
 
She also noted that the competition recorded its highest number of valid entries since inception, with 1,203 valid entries out of 1,499 submitted.
  
Morgan reaffirmed the commitment of the Ohiwerei trust fund to reward outstanding teachers through the competition. 
  
She restated that the overall winner of the competition would receive a trophy, a total cash prize of N6.5 million, and capacity development training, while the winner’s school receives either a block of classroom or computer laboratory. 
She tasked the panel of judges, headed by Prof. Pat Utomi, to carry out the rigorous evaluation process, and ensure that the best teacher wins. 
  
It would be recalled that the call for entries for the 9th edition of the competition kicked off on May 25, and closed on August 4.
  
The winner of the 2023 Maltina Teacher of the Year competition and the state champions would be announced at the grand finale scheduled for October 20, in Lagos.
  
In 2015, Nigerian Breweries/Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund introduced the Maltina Teacher of the Year competition to identify and reward outstanding teachers in Nigeria.
  
The trust fund was set up in 1994, with a startup capital of N100 million to enable sustained quality education through structured intervention in the sector.
  
The fund has footprints across the six geographical zones, at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.