The Federal Ministry of Education has reaffirmed its commitment to celebrating teachers and building stronger partnerships to uplift the education sector during the 11th Maltina Teacher of the Year Stakeholders Engagement Meeting held in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry, the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, described teachers as the “cornerstone of national development” and stressed that recognising their work must remain a national priority. She praised the Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative for rewarding teachers and providing infrastructural support to schools, noting that such efforts directly improve learning outcomes.
“The Federal Ministry of Education will continue to support initiatives that reward quality teaching. Education is a shared responsibility, and this competition proves that celebrating teachers can inspire systemic change,” Professor Ahmad stated.
The Minister also urged the organisers, the Nigerian Breweries Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, to share more digital promotional materials to encourage wider participation, particularly in Unity Colleges. She further encouraged the expansion of award categories to reflect the diverse contributions of teachers across the country.
Stakeholders present at the meeting included the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and Nigerian Breweries Plc. They commended the initiative for boosting teacher morale, reshaping public perception of the profession, and sustaining a decade of impact under the theme, “A Decade of Producing Shining Stars.”
Now in its 11th year, the Maltina Teacher of the Year competition has remained one of Nigeria’s most impactful platforms for celebrating educators while reinforcing the teaching profession as central to national development.