By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Nigerian Breweries Plc has been applauded by the Federal Government for being at the forefront of supporting the development of education in Nigeria.
Speaking on Tuesday at the commissioning of a block of Staff Quarters built by the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund at the Federal Government Girls College, Onitsha, Anambra State, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Anwukah, explained that by continually investing in educational infrastructure, encouraging teachers and students, the company has demonstrated an unshakable resolve to ensure the nation’s growth and development.
The Minister also lauded the Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative, which he said has been able to “finance, showcase, reward, recognize, and celebrate” exceptional teachers around the country.
Mrs Rose Nkemdilim Obi, the winner at the maiden edition of the Maltina Teacher of the Year, teaches Mathematics and Chemistry at the school.
Mrs Obi, who beat nine other finalists to the coveted prize, also got a one million naira cash prize plus another one million Naira to be paid to her annually for five years. The building of the Quarters in her school was part of the prize for emerging the 2015 Maltina Teacher- of –the-Year
Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries, Mr Nicolaas Vervelde, who was represented on the occasion by Mr Kufre Ekanem, the Corporate Affairs Adviser explained that the idea of the school-based project was to ensure that when a teacher won, the community where he/she teaches also wins.
“In 1994, our Company decided to take a more active role in its commitment to the development of education in Nigeria when it established the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund with a take-off value of N100 million. Since then, the fund has impacted over 2,000 students across Nigeria,” he said.
Mr Vervelde also expressed gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Education for the support and partnership with the company since the commencement of the Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative. He thanked the Minister for pushing the partnership between the company and the ministry to a new height; including rearranging his busy schedule to commission the project on Tuesday.
The principal of the school, Mrs Margaret Enonuya, expressed great appreciation and thanked Nigerian Breweries for what he described as an unparalleled support for the cause of education in the country.
“Rarely in deed has any Secondary School in Nigeria been so honoured as today to be awarded the gift of a twin three bedroom bungalow for producing a national icon, the Maltina Teacher of the Year by Nigerian Breweries Plc. We feel proud of what Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund has done,” she said.
Mrs Obi equally praised Nigerian Breweries for the gesture, adding that it takes a greater sacrifice on the part of the company to appreciate the great sacrifice and contribution of teachers to the development of the nation.
Modupe Gbadeyanka