Usman Usman Garba
The STEM Teachers Rewards and Empowerment Foundation (STREF) recognized and awarded 28 teachers at its 2nd edition of annual STEM Teachers Award and Gala (STAG) in Kano.
Primary and post primary school teachers were recognized and awarded for their efforts, dedication and contributions to education across the state, while others received bags of rice among other gifts.
The awards were given based on merits as STREF selected the teachers based on the nomination and citation sent from their schools within the stipulated timeline and all the nominations were subjected to screening before the best 28 Teachers were selected for the award tagged ‘Rise of the Stem teacher’ on Tuesday at Meena Event Center.
The Founder of the organization, Mrs Love Odion expressed her appreciation for seeing teachers from different schools to receive awards and also meet one another under the platform of STAG.
She said: “Today, we are going to honor and award 28 teachers which we sent all the letters to over 350 schools in Kano state and requested nomination of Teachers who have been giving their best, and the school authorities sent their nominees and their citations to us.
“We went through their citations with all honesty and transparency and we got those who are receiving award today, it was a tough selection process that produced many ties in several positions.”
Mrs Love Odion called upon teachers who were not nominated to be encouraged as next time, it may be their turn to receive the prestigious awards.
“I want to say something to you, if you are not receiving an award today it does not mean you are not giving your best. These awards are for those selected, and maybe next time, it will be you,” she inspired them.
She similarly encouraged the teachers across the state to double their efforts by giving their best as teachers serve as parents, nation builders, destiny transformers and are the fathers of all professions on earth.
Mrs. Love thanked the Honorable Commissioner of Education who gave the approval for the Event.
She also thanked sponsors, special guests, teachers, lecturers, educators, proprietors, directors, principals and all those attended the event.
Honorary Awards were also given to persons who have served in the education sector for over 30yrs. The foundation’s Teachers Scholarship Initiative was also launched. www.stref.com.ng.
In her keynote address, Hajiya, Dr. Hadiza Yusuf Nuhu Baba, the Proprietresses, Intercontinental School, Kano, urged teachers to change the attitude of imparting knowledge to their students by embracing new methods of the 21st century.
She said: “This is 21st century, we should not teach children the way we were taught during our own time. We should not force teaching down their throats.
“That is why Mrs. Love Odion came with this, the STEAM teachers in order to bring awareness to everyone sitting here to know there is something a lot of schools in Kano have not embrace it yet.”
Mrs Yusuf motivated teachers to have an excellent public speaking skills as well as empathy, passion for teaching, classroom management, great interpersonal skills, teamwork abilities and knowledge of addressing the need of their students among others for being a successful teacher nationwide.
STEM Teachers Rewards and Empowerment Foundation STREF is a registered Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) aimed at boosting teachers’ morale through recognizing and awarding outstanding Teachers and educators for being exceptional in the discharge of their duties, while also carrying out programs and training to impact and empower Teachers beyond their classroom with inclusion of promoting the Embrace of STEM Education by Teachers in Nigeria.
Their programs include Part/Full Scholarship for Teachers, Capacity Building Trainings for Teachers, STEM Certification Programs, Entrepreneurship and Skill acquisition programs, Leadership development courses, educational excursions and Teachers Awards Events and more.
All their programs and initiatives are geared towards impacting the Nigerian Teacher and by extension the educational sector.
