MTN foundation puts up 10 computers in teachers’ challenge

MTN Foundation has co-launched an initiative with the ministry of secondary education to reward excellence among teachers in the use of information and communication technologies in the classroom. Ten national winners will receive laptops and six months’ free internet access.

The teacher’s challenge went operational on Labor Day and potential candidates have up to the end of the month to submit their nominations. Candidates can download application forms from the websites of MTN Foundation and the ministry of secondary education. Teachers in rural areas will receive hard copies of the forms through education delegations.

First of its kind, the initiative hopes to encourage teachers in public and private schools to integrate ICTs, like the use of video projections, in teaching.

“You must not be a teacher of computer studies” to participate, said Erick Patrick Zobo, inspector general and coordinator of computer studies at the ministry secondary education. “You could be a Geology teacher, who has been teaching say volcanic rocks and thinks that you can use ICT to better demonstrate to your students, may be through video projection, you are eligible”.

The competition will create a healthy desire to excel among teachers without any discrimination regarding the subject they teach, said Thierry Ekambi, coordinator of education, health and community development work at MTN Foundation’s.

Entries will be evaluated in two stages, said Danielle Mbome, MTN Foundation and sustainability manager. “We will have a regional evaluation, this group will forward their results to the national evaluation panel which will publish the list of the ten; one each from region”.

“At first the use of ICT in the teaching process was like reserved for a few teachers, but this competition is also to encourage all teachers to integrate ICTs in the teaching process,” said Pierre Bernard Nkoa, head of the studies and programming at ministry of secondary education.

Technologies stimulate research in innovative teaching methods and contribute towards achieving quality education, said both MTN Foundation and secondary education officials.

The competition is organized following a partnership agreement signed between the MTN Foundation and the ministry of secondary education on October 30, 2013.

Reporting and photography by Eugene Ndi Ndi