More often than not, you hear people say that schooling is a scam. This assertion is not only restricted to illiterates but also the educated. Many students feel that their time in school is wasted, while some graduates struggle to find employment, leading to a sense of frustration and disillusionment.
The primary reason cited for this sentiment is the scarcity of paid job opportunities in the country. Despite investing time and resources in their education, numerous graduates face prolonged periods of unemployment, leaving them without a stable means of support.
In spite of this development, the Imo State winner of the 2024 Maltina Teacher of the Year award, Mrs. Kalu Emmanuella Ngozi insists that schooling or education is not a scam and will never be.
Speaking in an interview with our correspondent in Owerri Imo State on Friday, Mrs. Kalu stated that schooling still holds the ace.
"Where schooling or education will take you to, no other thing will,' she asserted.
She revealed that the overall winner of the Maltina Teacher of the Year, an indigene of Anambra State based in Nasarawa State won N10million, an all- expenses one-year study abroad and capacity building fund at his school.
Mrs. Kalu added that the first and second runners-up got N3million and N2.5million respectively while the state champions like herself got N1million apiece.
The mother of five children believes it is their formal education that helped them to clinch the prizes.
The Imo State champion however urged educated people to deploy their education for their wellbeing and that of others and to always look out for avenues of improving their welfare.
She agreed that there are courses still being studied in Nigerian tertiary institutions that have become obsolete.
Hear her; "I won't advise my children to study Sociology, Psychology and Philosophy. Those who are arts-inclined must choose courses that are still relevant while science-inclined ones are to study good science courses".
Clinching the award is not a sudden flight for Mrs. Kalu. A graduate of Microbiology from the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, MOUA, Umudike, Mrs. Kalu has put in seven years into teaching.
She teaches currently at Umuonyeali Secondary School after teaching at Girls Secondary School, Mbieri.
Before going into teaching, she had to obtain the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) certificate. To obtain it, she had to enroll in the National Training Institute (NTI).
She wrote the TRCN examination twice before coming out in flying colours. She revealed that after her certification she targeted winning the Maltina Teacher of the Year award.
According to her, she went online and registered for the competition. Entries usually open by May and close in July. She entered for the competition with a piece on ‘Catering Craft’.
"Questions were also asked us online. If your entry scores highest, you become the winner", she said, adding, "Questions were based on classroom management, how you interact with your students, how you bring in innovative methods of teaching to the benefits of your students.
“My Catering Craft was on how to cook and manage the home. I also run a website where my students could log in to update themselves".
Mrs. Kalu is effusive in her thanks to the Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund for sponsoring the Maltina Teacher of the Year competition. She wants government to align with the Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund which is walking the talk that the reward of teachers begins now on earth.
She also called for improvement in the education sector especially in Imo State. This improvement has to be made by all including teachers and students. It doesn't have to be left for the government alone, she counselled.
The award winner insists that technology in spite of its good uses is impacting negatively on students of secondary schools in the state.
Hear her; "You could be teaching and a student will be busy fiddling with his phone or holding a meeting. Some also depend on their phones to write examination and go ahead to make good grades unlike the ones who used their brains. Technology is having negative effects on our students nowadays".
Mrs. Kalu said she would be grateful if the state government under Senator Hope Uzodimma would appreciate her for doing the state proud at the Maltina Teacher of the Year competition.
The Government appreciating her will be a morale booster not only to her but also to other teachers who will know that doing the state proud won’t go unrewarded.
