The African Union (AU) has awarded three African teachers with the first Continental Teacher Prize for their outstanding performance.
The teachers, namely Augusta Lartey-Young, from Presbyterian Boy’s Secondary School in Ghana; Erick Ademba, Asumbi Girls School in Kenya, and also Gladyce Kachope, from a school in Uganda, have received certificates and 10,000 U.S. dollars each at a ceremony held at the AU Headquarters in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.
They have been awarded for achievements, including among others in quality teaching; encouraging desirable behaviours; engaging in activities and networks that enhance the social and cultural value of learning; and helping students achieve their long-term career goals, by organizing engagement with relevant agencies and information.
Speaking at the ceremony, Beatrice Njenga, Head of AU Education Division, noted that the Teacher Prize is an important and valuable instrument that contributes to the success of Agenda 2063 and continental Education strategy for Africa (CESA) to enhance visibility and status of the teacher in Africa at all levels from early childhood to tertiary levels including TVET, and promote teaching as a first choice profession.
The AU Teacher Prize will raise the status of the teaching profession and the teacher, and inspire the best possible candidates to join the teaching profession, and it further serves as a catalyst for similar programs at regional and national levels.
The first @_AfricanUnion continental teacher prize ​honors teachers for their contributions. Top three teachers: Augusta Lartey-Young #Ghana; Gladyce Kachope #Uganda ; Eric Ademba #Kenya awarded prizes of $10 000 each​ for the 2019 edition. more @ https://t.co/278RSwbqX6 pic.twitter.com/fYahC1BtoH
— African Union (@_AfricanUnion) October 24, 2019
“It is a key instrument in our efforts to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in Africa. As we celebrate committed leading teachers, we provide an opportunity for sharing best practices that are transforming lives of students and their communities, enhancing learning experiences and building formidable intellectual capital and Africentric knowledge products that will enable Africa to harness its resources for shared prosperity,” she said.
Speaking to reporters, Augusta Lartey-Young, one of the three prize winners, said that the prize she won is an outcome of teamwork and that there are others who have contributed to the achievements.
“I dedicate this award to them and I urge them to continue to work hard; I know they wanted also to be recognized, and I thank everybody who contributed in putting this award, and I know that in the future we are going to see a better and even much better awards for teachers,” she said.
Speaking on his part, another prize winner, Erick Ademba, reiterated that the prize promotes the image of teaching on the African continent, while motivates African teachers to be innovative.
“It should promote the image of teaching; the teaching fraternity will be able to be promoted because this can enable other teachers within Africa to view teaching differently,” he said.
“The challenges of insecurity has deteriorated the education system in Africa because the education in Africa has been going down as compared to European countries and others, and this one is what I was trying to come up with, trying to improve the teaching image so that teachers in Africa can feel recognized,” Eric added.
