Speaking during the event, Founder of Sierra Leone Teacher’s Prize, Josephine Saidu Conteh commended AYV Media Empire directorate for the opportunity, citing that they started a national thank you teachers’ campaign in 2013 to recognize and celebrate teachers.

Mrs. Conteh disclosed that the initiative is a calling for her to leave behind her passion to recognize and elevate the status of teachers in Sierra Leone, stating that  teachers are the constituents responsible for her achievement but that they are being left behind by the society in general.

“When we launched the campaign, we have about three component; firstly to get everyone celebrating the teachers, secondly to sieve through because out of the lot we have exceptional and outstanding once that sacrifice to the call of duties” Conteh said; adding that they were meant to hold the national teachers awards in 2014 but was cancel due to the Ebola epidemic.

Mrs. Conteh maintains that they have started engaging and consulting teachers across the country on what to do rather than celebrating them, adding that the teachers told them they wants to capacitate building and matching up with other teachers across the world.

“I have been under the amentorship for two years and in March 2018 I was invited to Dubai to witness the global teachers’ awards and I was accredited as well” Conteh said; adding that she has been given the mandate to host the national teachers award in Sierra Leone.

Global teachers’ award according to Conteh is implemented by Vacue Foundation that embarked on capacity building for teachers across the globe other than that there is a huge emphasis on recognizing, celebrating and also rewarding excellence in teachers.

“In the Sierra Leone Teacher Prize, we are going to host the first national teachers’ award,” Conteh said; adding that, they will be looking for exceptional leaders and outstanding teachers.