The winner of the 2018 Maltina Teacher of the Year (MTOTY), Mr. Olasunkanmi Opeifa, has expressed confidence of emerging the winner of the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2020 which is billed to be announced at a virtual ceremony on December 3, 2020.Opeifa who teaches English Language at Government Day Secondary School Karu, Abuja, Nigeria was recently shortlisted among the top 10 Teachers for the coveted global prize.
“I am highly excited to be shortlisted among the final top 10 teachers for the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher prize. This really meant a lot to meand would go a long way to boost my morale in continuously contributing my quota to the growth of the teaching profession. Having gone this far, I am highly hopeful of winning this prize”, he stated.
Opeifamade the final cut having been selected from a pool of 12,000 nominations and applications from over 140 countries across the world.
Should he emerge the winner of the global initiative, he would become the second African to win the coveted prize and would be rewarded with $1million, the largest prize of its kind.
It would be recalled that Kenya science teacher, Mr. Peter Tabichi won the previous edition of the initiative.The prize, which is in its sixth edition, is being awarded in partnership with UNESCO.
The Global Teacher Prize was set up to recognize an exceptional teacher who has made outstanding contribution to the profession as well as shine a spotlight on the important role teachers play in society.
By unearthing thousands of stories of heroes that have transformed young people’s lives, the prize hopes to bring to life the exceptional work of millions of teachers all over the world.
With ten years to go to meet UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 – providing a quality education for every child – the Global Teacher Prize has partnered with UNESCO to ensure teachers are right at the top of governments’ agenda.
The 2018 Maltina Teacher of the Year’s Winneris reputed to have introduced a lot of innovations and techniques in teaching and ensuring the mastery of English Language among the pupils.
To stimulate his students, he has been known to use edutainment/fun-based learning for teaching English language concepts, for example linking essay writing with popular dance steps and, to demonstrate phonology and grammar, he has even taken to rapping and hip-hop songs.
