Firm honours 10 exceptional educators at global education week

In commemoration of this year’s Global Education Week (GEW), a stationery firm, BIC, has honoured 10 exceptional educators around the world, for bringing joy to the hearts of children every day, inspiring and preparing the next generation to thrive.

The company launched the BIC Cristal Pen Awards programme in 2020 to recognise educators who exemplify its values. The firm is committed to improving the learning conditions of 250 million children globally by 2025 as part its “Writing the future together” programme. As at 2020, BIC has cumulatively helped 118 million children as part of its goal.

Chief Executive Officer of BIC, Gonzalve Bich, said the award is an opportunity for the company to celebrate educators in their communities around the world. “From Sri Lanka to Argentina, this year’s winners exemplify our values and I want to personally thank them and all nominees for sharing our vision to write the future together through supporting education around the world,” Bich said.

The company chief said after his team members submitted list of nominations, a panel of judges selected 10 worthy educators from across every region where the firm operates.

Bich disclosed that winners would receive a custom-designed award, a stationery product donation and £5, 000 grant for their school or organisation of choice.

In Nigeria, Opeifa Olasunkanmi, the 2017 Maltina Teacher of the Year, won the award this year. Opeifa is a teacher with over a decade of experience and passion for English literacy. He teaches difficult concepts in phonology and grammar, using popular rap songs, card games and dance. He also founded the first-ever free weekend tutorial classes in his region to prepare students for external examinations and started a reading club. Opeifa is further improving education by co-founding an online teacher community, www.techerx.org.

Winners from other parts of the world include Ramanan from Sri Lanka; Naomi Anstice from United Kingdom; D. Aline from France; N. Hernan from Argentina; W. Abdallah from Morocco; D. Shweta from India; and V. Sharda from Canada.

Ramanan works at the Jaffna Hindu College in Jaffna, a war-torn region where his ongoing work has been a pillar of strength to many throughout his career. His dedication to creative online instruction during the pandemic, including building a DIY set where he filmed free YouTube lessons for students globally set him apart.

Anstice, an assistant head teacher at Frodsham Manor House Primary, where she has taught for over 20 years with a focus on helping children become good local and global citizens. Among other activities, she runs teacher workshops, supports individual schools and organises pupil conferences where up to 10 schools send children to learn about a different focus linked to religious education.

Aline, who has worked as a music teacher for more than two decades is known for going above and beyond in her instruction of handicapped students, especially those who are hearing impaired with innovative teaching methods combining music, visual arts and performance.

Hernan, who is one of the founders and current President of the library Biblioteca Popular Palabras del Alma. The library began operating on a mobile basis, only on weekends, and now offers art, a community garden, and workshops for reading, writing, computer, language and theatre for people of all ages, including high school students and children without access to kindergarten.

Abdallah helps ensure that girls and boys have equal access to quality education and has taught in some of the most disadvantaged regions in Morocco.

Shweta is dedicated to instilling a sense of resilience into her students, which she demonstrated by encouraging hands-on learning throughout the pandemic and reinventing herself as a teacher.

Sharda is focused on helping her students develop a voice in the classroom and fostering their emotional wellbeing through a personalised approach that uses everyday life to inspire learning.