New Vision’s Teachers Making a Difference Awards is back.

The awards, where 12 innovative teachers share a cash prize of sh18m with the six most outstanding winning an all-expenses-paid trip to Ireland, recognises teachers who have gone the extra mile to impact the lives of their students and their communities.

The Irish Embassy on Wednesday gave a euros 70,000 (sh280m) boost to the competition that is a partnership between the Embassy, Vision Group and Simba Travelcare, one of Uganda’s leading tour and travel companies.

Wanyama welcomes Colgan to Vision Group offi ces for the signing of the Teachers Making a Difference project MOU

Speaking at the signing of a memorandum of understanding at Vision Group head offices in Kampala on Wednesday, Kevin Colgan, the Ambassador of Ireland to Uganda, said the launch was a milestone worth celebrating since the partnership was disrupted by COVID-19 in 2020.

Despite the disruption of the school calendar, Colgan said there were many teachers who went the extra mile, showing their passion and commitment to the continuation of learning in their communities and that these needed to be rewarded.

Vision Group CEO Don Wanyama with the Irish ambassador to Uganda Kevin Colgan

“Speaking both as a longstanding partner with the Ministry of Education and Sports and as current chair of the education development partners, Ireland’s support to this partnership is very much aligned with our strategy in Uganda. We believe that incentivising and supporting teachers in their professional development is critical to better performance and motivation and learning outcomes,” said Colgan.

Irish ambassador to Uganda Kevin Colgan

The event was attended by among others the Embassy head of co-operation Lorraine Gallagher, the education advisor Naome Muhwezi, the managing director Simba Travelcare, Declan Peppard and Jonathan Kamwana, the education ministry commissioner for teacher instructor education and training.

Vision Group CEO Don Wanyama interacting with Lorraine Gallagher, the head of co-operation at the Irish Embassy

Vision Group chief executive officer, Don Wanyama, said the partnership aims at celebrating selfless teachers who have gone the extra mile to innovate to ensure learning takes place, especially in resource-constrained communities.

“As we all know, teachers play a crucial role in human resource development and transformation in our societies and yet many times they go unappreciated. We are glad that together with our partners we are undertaking an initiative that is going to appreciate the teachers for what they do,” Wanyama noted.

Vision Group CEO Don Wanyama

He said Vision Group valued the partnership because development journalism is a costly venture, especially in today’s economic environment where media houses are struggling with revenues and resources.

Declan, whose company has supported the project since 2017 by providing return air tickets for the winners, said because of its impact, teachers making a difference was the only project the company was supporting this year.

Simba Travelcare managing director Declan Peppard

“It is a celebration that we are able to physically come together as partners of the teachers making a difference,” Declan said and announced a contribution of seven return air tickets.

THE SELECTION

For greater transparency, an independent jury of eminent personalities and professionals will select the 12 final winners for recognition from among 60 nominees profiled in the New Vision newspaper.

THE PRIZES

Each of the 12 winning teachers will receive a certificate and a cash prize of sh1,500,000.

The schools that produce the winning teachers will also get prizes in kind worth sh1,000,000. In addition, the six most outstanding teachers win an all-expenses-paid trip to Ireland.

THE 2019 AND 2020 WINNERS

Because of the travel restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19, winners of the 2019 and 2020 competitions could not travel to Ireland. However, Colgan announced that the two groups will now take the trip in May following the easing of travel restrictions.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Teachers Making a Difference is part of Ugandans making a difference project implemented by New Vision since 2008.

TARGET GROUP

The project targets professional teachers in public primary and secondary schools across the country.

Starting today, the public can send their nominations to Features@newvision.co.ug: The nominee must:

• Be a Ugandan professional teacher in a school in Uganda teaching at either primary or secondary level
• Demonstrate commitment and innovation to some or all of the following:
• Supporting continuity of learning during the COVID-19 lockdown and school closures
• Supporting school reopening and promoting the universal right to education through the return to school of teachers and learners post-COVID.
• Mobilising the communities to take their children to school including the most vulnerable
• Innovation in the use of limited resources to deliver quality education
• Promotion of life skills education
• Promotion of cocurricular activities
• Be a person of impeccable integrity
• Have gone beyond the call of duty to deliver the curriculum or support education