Young Nigerian man wins Maltina Teacher of the Year Award, bags ₦10million cash prize

Ifechukwu said his teaching journey began during his undergraduate years when he taught at a primary school for a meager salary of 4,000 naira in 2010. Within a month, his passion for teaching became evident, leading to a slight salary increase to 5,000 naira.

But his motivation was never about money, it was about his mission to eradicate the fear and confusion that math caused so many students.

He worked part-time at numerous lesson centers, teaching physics, further mathematics, and mathematics. His approach was to make math simple, using real-life examples to ensure his students could relate to and understand the subject.

During his teaching practice in 2013, he intensified his efforts to show students that math was not something to be feared but something to be mastered. His commitment led to more requests from schools and students for his math teaching services, as he continued his quest to defeat math phobia.

By 2018, Ifechukwu said he joined another school as a math and further math teacher, a turning point in his career as he began integrating technology into his teaching methods. However, his heart remained with students who struggled the most with math.

In 2020, Ifechukwu resigned from a job where he was earning 84,000 naira per month to take a teaching position at a village school with a lower salary of 45,000 naira.

Despite spending 38,000 naira on transportation alone, he was happier than ever, as he was able to transform students who once feared math into students who enjoyed learning it.

With the support of like-minded individuals, Ifechukwu provided free math and English textbooks to nearly all of his students.

Additionally, he produced over 5,000 copies of WAEC past math questions on DVDs at a personal cost of over a million naira and distributed them for free to more than 3,000 students. For him, it was never about the money—it was about eradicating math phobia.

As his influence grew, he created social media platforms to spread his message, garnering over a million followers across Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms.

He said millions of students worldwide now watch his math videos every month. Ifechukwu shared that he has received countless messages from parents whose children’s lives were transformed by his online teaching.

His dedication earned him over 10 awards, including the Maltina Teacher of the Year State Champion for Anambra and recognition from the I AM NIGERIA INITIATIVE.

However, he faced some setbacks along the way. In 2020, Ifechukwu applied for the Maltina Teacher of the Year Award but did not win. Although disappointed, he remained committed to his mission.

In 2021, he joined uLesson Education to further develop his digital teaching skills. After his contract ended, he prayed for an opportunity to make a greater impact and was led to Crown Grace Schools.

In 2024, encouraged by his mentor, he applied for the Maltina Teacher of the Year Award again and this time, he won. Ifechukwu said the victory felt symbolic, as his school’s name, Crown Grace Schools, reflected his journey and triumph.

Ifechukwu reflected on his journey, from struggling with math to becoming one of Nigeria’s best mathematics teachers.

He said the Maltina Teacher of the Year Award has motivated him to continue his work. Ifechukwu dedicated his award to students who fear math, emphasizing that it is possible to overcome this fear.

Ifechukwu expressed gratitude to Maltina for recognizing teachers like him and thanked everyone who supported him along the way. He believes that together, they can end math phobia and create a more positive learning environment for students.