As we approach World Teachers’ Day on October 5, 2024, Pastor (Dr.) Yohanna Buru, an awardee of the United Nations’ Interfaith Harmony Week, has honored two exceptional Nigerian teachers for their dedicated service in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and Arabic Almajiri schools in kaduna state north western Nigeria .
At a gathering to celebrate the “Best Teachers of the Year 2024 Award ” at the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Kaduna, Pastor Buru commended these educators for their commitment towards providing free Western education to children in rural areas, helping to combat illiteracy.
He emphasized that these two volunteers deserved the “Best of the Year 2024 Teachers Award” due to their remarkable sacrifices, including traversing dangerous terrains and crossing rivers to reach their students, all without financial support from any organization.
Pastor Buru highlighted the significant impact these teachers have made on the education of IDPs and called on UNICEF, WHO, and the Ministries of Education at both state and federal levels to acknowledge their humanitarian contributions.
He urged UNESCO and UNICEF to find ways to recognize and support these volunteer educators.
Mr. Andrew Stephen Umaru, one of the honored teachers and a graduate of Bayero University Kano, shared his dedication to educating children in IDP camps in Kaduna at no cost.
He often funds his own transportation and walks long distances to ensure he reaches his students, despite rising travel expenses.
Mr. Umaru expressed his aspiration to reduce the number of out-of-school children and to help them become future scholars.
Another recipient, Mr. Jacop Dogo Makama, a teacher with over 30 years of experience, noted that he spends 1,000 Naira daily on transportation to his Almajiri school, often using canoes to reach his students.
He invests his personal funds in teaching aids to enhance the learning experience.
Mr. Makama called for support from UNICEF and the Kaduna State Ministry of Education to provide better teaching resources, stressing the importance of integrating Western education with Arabic studies and vocational skills.
Mrs. Blessing Eko Sunday, founder of the Eko Smile Support and Empowerment Initiative in Kaduna, created special classes for IDP children at Maraban Rido.
She praised Pastor Buru for recognizing the teachers and highlighted the “Back to Class for IDP Kids” project, which has positively affected hundreds of students impacted by violence in the region.
She urged both state and federal governments to supply additional learning materials to encourage student enrollment in these programs and congratulated the honored teachers, encouraging others to commit to humanitarian service.
Mallam Ibrahim Musa, an Islamic Arabic school teacher in Hayin Kogi, Kaduna, remarked that only God can reward these dedicated educators for their sacrifices. He noted that many students can now read and write in English and communicate effectively.
He also called for increased support from the state government for teaching aids and learning materials.
World teachers Is celebrated world wide on the 5th of October.
