Winners of Best Teachers’ Award Take Home NLE 45,000 & Land
By Abdul Rahman Bah
Out of the ten nominees of the Presidential National Best Teachers’ Award, Mrs. Adama Soko Bangura of KDEC Primary School in Kambia and Mr. Mohamed Bassie Kamara of Birch Memorial Senior Secondary School in Makeni were given the sum of NLE 45,000 plus land each as winners of best teachers’ award.
Adama soko Bangura of the Kambia District says, “I feel so proud, excited and happy to be a winner of the Presidential National Best Teacher Awards and to be named the Best Primary school teacher in Kambia District for 2023. It is a motivating factor for me to do more in my work as a teacher”.
Mohamed Bassie Bangura from Makeni in his statement, “I feel honored to be a winner of this year’s Presidential National Best Teacher Awards. This shows that the classroom is a place to be. Teaching is a career and not just a dumping ground. I know this will motivate other teachers to do their best”.
Mr Sorie Ibrahim Turay Secretary of the Teaching Service Commission said that the Presidential National Best Teacher Awards is a journey that started in 2021. He applauded His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio for the initiative. He added that, the award has motivated many teachers in the country to take their work seriously. He thanked teachers for the good work they are doing in the country.
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Mr. Conrad Sackey stated that this years’ PNBTA was observed on the 5th October 2023, which is the World Teachers’ Day and the year’s theme is “The teachers we need for the education we want.” He added that, this year’s PNBTA saw 1037 nominations nationwide and this is the highest ever in the history of the competition, stating further that only 320 were shortlisted with 20 from each district, 10 for pre-primary and primary and 10 for Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary.
‘’Thirty-two district winners emerged and they competed at regional level to get the ten regional winners with two from each region. The two national winners emerged from the ten regional winners,’’ he clarifies, stating further that, as they gathered to celebrate the Presidential Best Teachers Awards alongside World Teachers’ Day 2023, not just to express gratitude and appreciation but to recognize the profound impact that teachers have on our lives and the future of our great nation. He further underscored that education as we all know is the cornerstone of progress and transformation.
‘’It empowers individuals, shapes society and guides us towards a brighter future,” he said, adding that, at the State Opening of Parliament in May 2018, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio stated that teachers are ‘our greatest asset but have been least recognized and least awarded which was demotivating’. He also noted that for a successful implementation of his Flagship program, the Free Quality Education, teachers’ morale and productivity must be raised. He then pronounced a Presidential Initiative for Teachers among which was the Presidential National Best Teacher Awards Scheme for the recognition and appreciation of most innovative, ingenious and dedicated teachers at national and district levels.
Giving the keynote address and unveiling the grand winner on behalf of President Julius Maada Bio, the Sierra Leone’s Chief Minister Dr. Moinina David Sengeh said, “Truly incredibly that the first national event in which I represented H.E President Bio as Chief Minister was the Presidential National Best Teacher Awards 2023 ceremony. The two National Winners each received NLe 45,000 and a piece of Land! On behalf of President Bio and the Government of Sierra Leone, I also guaranteed the teachers that we will honor our commitment to increase their salaries by 15% in 2024 in addition to many other advances we have in store for them as part of our Manifesto commitments.”
World Bank’s Representative commends the government of Sierra Leone for taking their time to organize the ceremony and also commended the government for its unweaving commitment to education, adding that the prioritizing of education is a testament of the government commitment to a brighter future.
