Ogun state Maths teacher who uses Ijebu dialect wins $1million global Award
By Omolade Adegbuyi
A tutor who creatively teaches Mathematics using Ijebu dialect has won $1m international award.
The teacher Kayode Adewale who launched an intensive teaching technique using Ijebu dialect to drive home knowledge assimilation to his students previously earned less than $50 in a month. He is now worth some N160m. The award comes as a reward for discipline, hardwork and diligence.
Kayode Adewale who teaches mathematics using the Ijebu dialect was excited to win the $1 million global teacher prize
He emerged the overall winner of the The Global Teacher Prize annual US$1 given to the best teacher all over the world for innovation, Irohinoodua was informed on Saturday.
Kayode Adewale did not wait for the State or Federal Government before making his unique contribution to education and knowledge which has now earned him global fame, Ahmed Kokumo, his colleague told Irohinoodua.
The global award is administrated by
Varkey Foundation and usually given to a teacher who offers the most outstanding way of impacting knowledge in the world.
Thousands of teachers took part in the global award, leaving the best 50 as finals.
Kayode Adewale emerged the best overall winner as announced by the Global Teacher Prize Academy.
The academy is made up of diverse professionals from different academic backgrounds.
Adewale was among the 50 finalists. He was a PhD student at the University of Ibadan but abandoned his course due to lack of funds in 2018.
He currently manages a YouTube channel where he impacts teaching of mathematics using Ijebu dialect.
Adewale is a teacher of Mathematics at Imaka/Imagbon Comprehensive High School, Imagbon Ijebu located in Ogun State.
Adewale is also known for his skill in Mathematics, Information and Science Technology.
He is also a science educator who manages the Space Exploration Club for his secondary school.
In a chat with The Punch Newspapers Adewale said he had brought hope to science teachers and students in the over 517 secondary schools in the state where he runs the Space Exploration Club.
The programme was established with Limitless Space Institute
Adewale was born on June 8, 1984. He attended Methodist Primary School, Imososi, Ago-Iwoye, and Abobi Secondary School, in Ogun State
He had his higher education at Tai Solarin College of Education, Ijagun, now Tai Solarin University of Education for his National Certificate of Education in Mathematics and Economics
He graduated in 2004.
He said ‘I tried to develop myself in my calling as a teacher. So, I used to set aside some funds with which I attended training locally and internationally. I started getting the results of my teaching efforts in 2020 when I emerged as the best senior secondary school teacher in the state and was rewarded with N2.5m by Governor Dapo Abiodun.’
Being a Christian, he said he paid his tithe from the money and also renovated the multipurpose laboratory in his school, turning it into a STEM laboratory where he trains teachers and exposes his students to the technological tools that they can use.
Adewale was Ogun State Maltina Best Teacher of the Year; in 2022
He was also selected for the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Programme sponsored by the US Government.
He said ‘It was a six-week training programme in the US, which I gladly participated in. While in the US, I was declared as the third-best teacher in Nigeria. I also got a refrigerator for that effort.”
He was a teacher at Iwopin Pulp and Paper Primary School in 2006 in the Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State
He later taught at Ayede Comprehensive High School in the same council.
In 2012, he was transferred to Oodua Comprehensive High School at Imoru Ijebu.
It was from Oodua school that he moved to Imagbon still in Ogun State.
He also has Masters Degree in Measurement and Evaluation from Tai Solarin University. 2015.
