A school teacher at St. Michael RCM Primary School, Ogunpa Lunloye, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Akeem Badru, has been named the overall winner of 2023 Cambridge Dedicated Teachers’ Award for Central and Southern Africa.
Cambridge Dedicated Teachers’ Award is a global competition that celebrates the efforts of teachers around the world. Badru, who came first among over 11,000 nominations from 99 countries, is the first overall winner of the global competition from the African continent.
The award winner, who teaches at a one-room school without electricity, network communication and others, earned the global vote of confidence for his achievement in “First Step Initiatives,” a STEM project that combines craft and model making to promote inquisitiveness, creativity and critical thinking, and for his work as TeachSDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Ambassador.
He financed the construction of a borehole for the village as his contribution towards the achievement of SDGs and to solve the problem of water-related diseases that keep his pupils out of school.
As a regional winner of the 2023 award, Badru will receive £500 worth of books or digital resources, along with a trophy, and promotion for him and his school. He will also feature on a thank you page at the front of new Cambridge University Press Education textbooks from 2024.
Badru, while appreciating Cambridge University Press for the honour, said: “I believe this recognition of a teacher at a small school in rural Nigeria will encourage other teachers in Nigeria and across the continent to dedicate themselves to building the skills that will help children unlock their potential.”
Rob Laing, Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at Cambridge University Press, said: “Congratulations to this year’s inspirational winner, whose important STEM project and ambassador role is helping to build brighter futures for young people in his community.
“The major growth in nominations worldwide and from sub-Saharan Africa clearly demonstrates the value communities place on dedicated teachers, making Akeem Badru’s recognition first as regional winner for Central and Southern Africa – and now global winner – all the more significant.”
