Government-owned secondary schools in Abia State have emerged as major highlight of the maiden Teachers End of Academic Session Excellence Award Day (TEASEAD 2026), with students and teachers recognized for outstanding performances in science education.
The event, organised to celebrate excellence in teaching and learning at the end of the 2025/2026 academic session, brought together education stakeholders, government officials, teachers, students and representatives of private-sector organisations.
Among the major award recipients was Ebenezer Favour of Afugiri Girls Secondary School, Umuahia North, who distinguished herself as one of the outstanding students in the competition, emerging as the best in several science subjects, including Biology, Physics and Chemistry.
Her exceptional performance placed Afugiri Girls Secondary School in the spotlight, demonstrating the capacity of public schools in Abia State to produce students who can compete favourably in science and other academic disciplines when given the right support and encouragement.
The school also produced the Best Chemistry Teacher, Mrs. Uchenna Victoria, whose outstanding contribution to science education was recognised alongside the achievements of her students.
The recognition of both the student and her teacher underscored the central message of the awards ceremony: that student excellence in science is often strengthened by the commitment, creativity and dedication of teachers who inspire learners in the classroom.
The maiden TEASEAD 2026, held to mark the conclusion of the 2025/2026 academic session of the Science Teachers’ Championship (STC), was organised by Assppaa-Isbors Platform Limited, promoters of the Science Teachers’ Championship, in collaboration with the Abia State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and other education stakeholders.
Declaring the event open, the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Abia State, Hon. Dr. David Kalu, said the gathering was more than an awards ceremony, describing it as a celebration of dedication, hard work and the collective commitment of stakeholders to advancing education, science and innovation in the state.
Kalu said the recognition of teachers was particularly important because behind every successful science student was often a committed and passionate teacher who had helped to nurture the student’s curiosity and interest in science.
According to him, the journey towards producing future scientists, engineers, inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs begins in the classroom and with the teacher.
He said the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation was committed to cultivating a generation of young people who were curious, innovative and technologically minded, urging more students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), as well as emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics and biotechnology.
The Commissioner said motivated and well-equipped science teachers could make students see science not merely as a subject to be memorised but as a practical tool for understanding and transforming the world.
“If we are serious about making Abia a leading centre for innovation and technology, then we must first celebrate, empower, support, and encourage those teachers who are igniting the passion for science in our young people every day,” Kalu said.
He congratulated the teachers and students recognised at the event, noting that their achievements represented an investment in the human capital needed to drive the future development of the state.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Abia State, Mrs. Ekeoma Chigozie Akidi, described TEASEAD 2026 as a landmark event and a defining milestone in the state’s educational journey.
“The initiative was established to recognise teachers who demonstrated exceptional commitment to classroom delivery, student mentorship and school leadership throughout the academic session,” she said.
According to her, TEASEAD was also designed to encourage healthy competition among basic and secondary schools across the state’s 17 Local Government Areas while restoring dignity and recognition to the teaching profession.
The Permanent Secretary congratulated the awardees, describing them as representatives of the gold standard of education in Abia State, while assuring other teachers that their contributions remained valued even if they did not receive physical awards.
She said the Ministry remained committed to continuous professional development, better working conditions and improved recognition of teachers across the state.
Speaking on the Science Teachers’ Championship, the Chief Executive Officer of Assppaa-Isbors Platform Limited, Patrick Ejike Ochuba, said the programme was established to identify, recognise, celebrate and reward outstanding science teachers and students.
Ochuba described the initiative as a pioneering programme and said Abia State was taking the lead with the maiden edition of TEASEAD, expressing optimism that similar initiatives would be adopted by other states.
“The Science Teachers’ Championship is a digital platform designed to connect, assess, retrain and reward science teachers and students in public and private secondary schools,” Ochuba explained.
According to him, the platform seeks to improve transparency in classroom activities, motivate teachers, promote practical science education and encourage students to embrace science through Inquiry-Based Learning and Project-Based Learning.
He said the initiative was also designed to address challenges affecting science education, including inadequate recognition of teachers, weak motivation systems, poor teaching methodologies and limited access to regular in-service training.
Ochuba disclosed that participating teachers and students earn Teacher Basic Points and Student Basic Points through their activities on the platform, while teachers also receive stipends for science experiments uploaded to the platform.
He said monthly top-performing teachers and students were also eligible for cash prizes, adding that the incentives had contributed to motivating participants in Abia State.
However, he appealed to education stakeholders, including ANCOPSS, NAPPS, STAN and NUT, to intensify awareness among their members and encourage more schools, teachers and students to participate in the program through The Science Teachers’ Championship (ST) platform available @ www.scienceteacherschampionship.com.
He also called on the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to continue sensitising the public about the initiative, while appealing to the Abia State Government to announce the cash prizes for the overall winners of the Science Teachers’ Championship for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The recognition of Ebenezer Favour of Afugiri Girls Secondary School, Umuahia North, as one of the leading students across key science subjects, alongside Mrs. Uchenna Victoria, who emerged as the Best Chemistry Teacher, added a significant highlight to the maiden awards.
Their achievements, organisers said, demonstrated the impact that dedicated teachers and motivated students can make in strengthening science education and advancing the culture of academic excellence in public schools.
The Whistler reports that the event ended with a renewed call for stakeholders to sustain investments in teachers and students while creating more opportunities for young Abians to develop practical skills in science, technology and innovation.
(The Whistler)