22 Teachers Win Prizes at Awards Ceremony in Edo

No fewer than 22 teachers across Edo have won different prizes in the third annual Teachers Awards, with Mrs Osarugiagbon Isopkan, a primary school mathematics teacher, winning the overall best teacher’s N500,000 star prize.
The third edition of the awards ceremony, which held at the New Era College in Benin, on Thursday night, was organised by the Benin-based Salu Oniha Okonofua Foundation, in collaboration with the Edo Ministry of Education.
Isopkan, who teaches mathematics at Ogbe Primary School in the Oredo local government area of the state, and also won in two other categories; dedicated the awards to God and her pupils.
The event saw teachers from both the public and private schools in the state in participation.
This year’s edition featured 22 categories, including the Most Innovative teacher, Best Teacher in Special Needs, Teacher of the Year (Primary), Teacher of the Year (Junior secondary), Outstanding Teacher of the year, Principal of the year and Overall Best Teacher, amongst others.
In his welcome address, the Director of Operations, Okonofua Foundation, Mr Ojo Sunday, said the event was held annually in honour of the legacy of their departed father, late High Chief Salu Oniha Okonofua as the foundation had continued Okonofua’s legacy of active community engagement, love for education, teachers and students.
Governor Godwin Obaseki, represented by the Commissioner for Education, Mr Jimoh Ijegbai, commended the Foundation for rewarding outstanding teachers in the state.
Obaseki commended the foundation for the gesture, saying it availed teachers in the state the opportunity to test their skills from the numerous trainings they had undergone adding that, Edo State teachers had been well-equipped with requisite skills and were set to be able to compete favourably with their counterparts all over the world.
Some other winners included Mr Omorowa Josephine, the Principal of Ugo Junior Grammar School, Benin, who emerged overall first runner-up, while Mr Osezua Oshuanvbegbe, a teacher from Asoro Junior Secondary School, also in Benin, was named as the second runner-up.
The event had in attendance government functionaries, captains of industry, academics, professionals and traditional rulers.