The Nigerian teachers have won the 2018 Safe School Heroes Award in recognition of their dedication and courage to sustain teaching and learning in schools.
Ike Onyechere, Chairman, National Organising Committee, 2018 Safe School Leadership Empowerment Conference and Awards, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Abuja.
He said the teachers also won the award in view of the complex and security risky nature of their job.
Onyechere said: “On April 13, 2018, the UNICEF released a report to the effect that at least, 2,295 teachers had been killed in the North-East alone since 2009.
“According to the report, more than 1, 000 children had been abducted and 1,400 schools destroyed.
“Taken together, terrorism, insurgency, kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery, fire, medical and flood emergencies have claimed the lives of over 3,000 teachers since 2009.
“Yet, teachers continue to soldier on to defy fear and keep schools open and running in environment of great insecurity despite the fact that many have paid the ultimate price with their lives.
“That is why the 2018 Safe School Heroes Award is dedicated to the memory of fallen teachers.
“We, the survivors, will and should never forget them.”
He said teachers were not only traumatised by the orgy of crimes and violence, but also had the additional task of managing the emotional and psychological wounds of frightened and confused students and pupils.
Onyechere said the physical insecurity suffered by teachers was compounded in many states by economic insecurity occasioned by many months of arrears of unpaid salary.
He said the award was also in recognition and appreciation of “the patriotism, commitment, dedication, determination and courage of Nigerian teachers to sustain teaching and learning in schools across the country”.
The chairman of the organising committee said the award would be presented on November 15 at Green Minds Hotel, Utako, Abuja, to climax the occasion started on November 12.
He said Dr Nasir Idris and Dr Mark Ike- Ene, National President and Secretary General, Nigeria Union of Teachers would receive the award on behalf of the teachers.
Onyechere listed other awardees in the category of Safe School Leadership Impact Award of the Safe School Award as: Idris, and Maria Mark, Director (Education) Ministry of Defence.
Others are: Kenechukwu Nwosu, Executive Chairman, Abia State Universal Basic Education Board as best SUBEB Chairman in Nigeria Safe School Award, Dr Micheal Arimanwa, Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede as Best Polytechnic Rector.
The FCT Department of Quality Assurance, according to him, will get the Best Education Regulatory Agency and Funtaj International School Abuja, Best Private School in the country.
Onyechere, who is also the Chairman, Exam Ethics Marshal International, said that 13 private schools came top as best in their various states, in terms of safety and security best practices.
He said the award committee based its decisions on the extent to which nominees complied with 10 safe school best practices factors.
He explained that the annual conference and awards were components of the Safe School Empowerment Project launched in 2014 with the support and facilitation of the Nigeria Police Force.
Other institutions that supported the SASEP were the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Federal Fire Service and the National Emergency Management Agency.
He also said the project was coordinated by Safe School Academy International, in collaboration with Exam Ethics Marshals International and Ethics Resource Centre Nigeria.
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