A Teach For Nigeria 2019 alumnus, Akeem Badru, has won the Cambridge Dedicated Teachers Award.
Badru emerged as the overall winner from Africa out of 11,000 nominations across 99 countries
A statement by Teach For Nigeria, read, “Badru emerged as the overall winner after being selected as one of the six regional winners through public voting. This recognition stems from his outstanding work on the STEM project, titled, ‘First Steps Initiative,’ which utilises craft and model-making to foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. The project originated during Badru’s time as a Teach For Nigeria Fellow.”
Additionally, he had been awarded the 2023 Cambridge Most Dedicated Teacher Trophy and will be featured in Cambridge University Textbooks as a token of gratitude and inspiration for other teachers.
Organised by the Cambridge University Press, the Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards is a global competition that celebrates the exceptional contributions of teachers in primary and secondary education.
Publishing Director for Education, Cambridge University Press, Matthew Walker, noted that the awards were designed to celebrate and support the significant roles teachers played in transforming the next generation.
CEO, Teach For Nigeria, Folawe Omikunle, commended Badru’s enduring commitment and dedication to service and excellence in unlocking the potential of all children.
She said “Even after completing the Teach For Nigeria program, seeing Badru continue with the essence of why Teach For Nigeria exists gives me so much hope for the movement that we are building.
“Akeem Badru’s achievement as the first Nigerian and first African recipient of this esteemed award reflects his exceptional dedication, commitment, and impact in St Michael RCM Primary School, Ogunpa-Lunloye, Ogun State, Nigeria.