AWAJI-TELE E. ONYEMA
London,Croydon
Summary
Compassionate and patient professional with over 19 years of experience in education, guidance and counselling, and pastoral care, with on-the-job experience and training in care and medical support. Skilled in supporting individuals with diverse needs, promoting wellbeing, safeguarding, and encouraging independence. Committed to providing person-centred support with dignity, respect, and empathy.
Overview
1
1
Language
1
1
Certification
16
16
years of post-secondary education
20
20
years of professional experience
Work history
Upper Primary Literacy Teacher
Dawn Michaels School
Okota, Lagos
08.2022 - 09.2026
- Plans and delivers engaging literacy lessons focused on reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary development and based on the local education board curriculum.
- Assesses the students’ literacy skills through regular evaluations and provides tailored feedback to support each student's individual growth.
- Promotes the student’s love for reading by introducing diverse grade-appropriate literature, organizing fun reading activities, and facilitating a positive reading culture in the classroom.
Matron and Admin Officer / Students Affairs Head
Goldsprings High School
Port Harcourt, Rivers State
09.2021 - 07.2022
- Ensured health and well-being of students by promoting safe environment.
- Provided first aid for minor illnesses and injuries among students and staff.
- Conducted health education sessions on hygiene, nutrition, and disease prevention.
- Managed daily office operations, including scheduling, correspondence, and file management, and was involved in budget planning sessions with other management team members.
- Maintained accurate records of student information, attendance, and academic performance.
- Ensured school policies and procedures are implemented correctly and consistently.
- Provided counselling services and guidance to students for academic, personal, and social development.
- Oversaw and coordinated extracurricular programs and events to enhance students' school experience.
- Handled disciplinary issues, working with students, parents, and teachers to resolve conflicts and maintain a positive school environment.
Head of Language Department/English Teacher
Faith Academy Port Harcourt
Port Harcourt, Rivers State
08.2015 - 09.2020
- Led the design and implementation of the language curriculum, ensuring it met the students’ educational needs according to the standards and requirements of the local education board.
- Supervised and supported language teachers, providing guidance and professional development, and fostering a collaborative environment.
- Managed departmental resources, including textbooks, materials, and budget, to facilitate effective teaching and learning.
- Prepared and delivered engaging lessons that aligned with the curriculum standards of the education board and catered to diverse student needs.
- Evaluated the students’ progress through various assessments, provided feedback, and tailored instruction to enhance learning outcomes.
- Maintained a positive and productive classroom environment, encouraged student participation, and managed behavior effectively.
Weekend Support/Care giver
Shiloh Victory Maternity Ltd.
Chokocho, Etche, Rivers State, Nigeria
07.2017 - 01.2020
- Cared for pregnant mothers, including disabled mothers and children.
- Worked flexible hours, covering nights, weekends and bank holidays.
- Quickly learned and applied new skills to daily tasks, improving efficiency and productivity.
- Cleaned work areas and equipment to maintain faultless hygiene standards.
- Offered friendly, efficient customer service and handled challenging situations with ease.
- Consistently arrived at work on time and ready to start immediately.
- Displayed energy and enthusiasm in fast-paced environment.
- Applied positive customer service approach to increase satisfaction levels.
Literature Teacher/English Teacher
Dietams International Secondary School
09.2012 - 07.2015
- Taught literature, focusing on analyzing, interpreting, and appreciating various literary works.
- Encouraged students to think critically about texts and their contexts, fostering discussion and debate.
- Assisted students in developing strong writing skills, guiding them in essay writing and literary research projects.
- Prepared and delivered engaging lessons that aligned with curriculum standards and catered to diverse student needs.
- Evaluated students’ progress through various assessments, provided feedback, and tailored instruction to enhance learning outcomes.
Head of Department/English Teacher
Methodist Girls’ High School
Port Harcourt
09.2008 - 08.2012
- Developed, implemented, and evaluated the arts curriculum, ensuring it met the educational requirements and goals of the local education board's curriculum.
- Managed and supported teachers in the department, providing professional development, mentorship, and fostering a collaborative environment.
- Ensured adequate allocation and maintenance of art supplies, materials, and budget to support effective teaching, demonstrations, and artistic expression.
- Managed the library's collection by acquiring, cataloging, and maintaining books, periodicals, and digital resources, ensuring that the library is up-to-date on resources.
- Assisted students and staff in locating and using library resources, fostering a desire for reading and learning.
- Organized and conducted library programs and activities, such as reading clubs, author visits, and research workshops.
- Designed and delivered advanced English lessons tailored to the needs of senior students, preparing them for their final senior school certificate exams and post-secondary education.
- Taught critical analysis of literature, helping students understand complex texts and develop their interpretative skills.
English Teacher, National Youth Service Corps.
Government Secondary School
Monkin, Zing, Taraba State
03.2007 - 03.2008
- Guided the students in developing advanced writing skills appropriate for their grades, providing feedback on essays, reports, and creative projects.
- Maintained a positive and productive classroom environment, encouraging student participation and managing behavior effectively.
Education
Master of Education - Guidance and Counselling
Rivers State University
Port Harcourt, Rivers StateBachelor of Education - Education and English
University of Ibadan
01.2001 - 01.2006
Senior School Certificate Exam -
Community Secondary School
Ebukuma Andoni, Rivers State 01.1994 - 01.2000
First School Leaving Certificate -
Community Primary School
Ebukuma Andoni, Rivers State 01.1989 - 01.1994
Skills
- Leadership development, teaching, people and resource management, creative writing, public speaking, proficient use of MS Office, active listening, time management, adaptability, critical thinking, interpersonal communication, and teamwork and problem-solving
- Leadership & Quality Assurance
- Educational leadership, curriculum planning, strategic school improvement initiatives, and academic quality assurance
- Pedagogy & Coaching
- Literacy instruction, advanced student assessment, public speaking, debate coaching, as well as spelling bee preparation
- Guidance & Student Welfare
- Guidance and counseling, pastoral care, childcare and young people's development, and the implementation of comprehensive safeguarding frameworks
- Use of Digital Literacy & EdTech
- Artificial Intelligence Tools (ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, Gemini, etc), Google Classroom, Zoom, Google Meet, Digital Learning Integration
- Patient personal hygiene assistance
- Personal hygiene maintenance
- Empathy for patient conditions
- Patience with difficult behaviour
- Patient safeguarding
Certification
- Advanced Certificate in School Leadership and Management (ImpartMind Solutions) 2026
- Certificate of Recognition: Debate Coach (APEN Debate Competition) 2026
- Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) 2020 - present
- Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON) Rivers State University Chapter 2019 - present
SKILLS, INTERESTS, AND LANGUAGES SPOKEN
English, Obolo, Igbo, and Ibibio
SKILLS, INTERESTS, AND LANGUAGES SPOKEN
Researching, teaching, reading, writing, coaching, learning and speaking diverse languages.
Accomplishments
- Various key accomplishments
- Academic & Co-Curricular Excellence: Successfully trained, mentored, and coached student delegations to elite finishes in competitive regional Debate tournaments and multi-school academic contests.
- Institutional Optimization: Strategically spearheaded academic quality assurance protocols and school improvement operations that directly enhanced instructional delivery standards.
- Pedagogical Innovation: Pioneered the operational integration of contemporary AI tools into daily curricula to drive student assessment precision and scale classroom learner engagement.
- Voted joint best female and overall best English teacher by the student body 2011
VOLUNTEER WORK, AWARDS, AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Voted joint best female and overall best English teacher by the student body 2011
Volunteer Experience
Eagles Assembly Int’l Church, Volunteer, Lagos, 2023, Present
Community Service
Inner-City Education Club, Co-Convener, 2015, Present, Partnered with my spouse, who is also a teacher, in encouraging inner-city and marginalized children to aspire to educational pursuits as a way to address adverse social issues such as youthful delinquencies, addiction, gang violence, and poverty., Through role-modeling and mentorship, 15 poor and educationally disadvantaged inner-city children were motivated to complete high school by taking their studies seriously through the work of our Inner-City Education Club. Over 250 students have participated in our in-person and virtual mentorship sessions.
Interests
Volunteer, Eagles Assembly Int’l Church, Lagos. 2023 - present
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION/LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
- Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) 2020 - present
- Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON) Rivers State University Chapter 2019 - present
Publications
A study of the determinants of vocational choice among senior secondary school students in Rivers State. Grade Obtained: B+
COURSES/WORKSHOPS ATTENDED
- Childcare and Young People Development
- First Aid and CPR Training Certificate
- Certificate in Coaching Skills
- Emerge C9 Training Certificate.
- Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT), Band 1,2,3
- Workshop for Secondary School Teachers
- Leadership Conference and Workshop
- Skill Development Training for Women In Niger Delta
- Leadership Diploma Course (LDC)
- Leadership Certificate Course (LCC)
- Basic Certificate Course (BCC)
RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS, SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANTS
- SCHOLARSHIP/GRANTS
- Ebukuma Andoni Community Education Research Grant 2018
- Ebukuma Andoni Community Scholarship for Promising Young Women Leaders 2002
References
References available upon request.
Work availability
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
swipe to browse
Timeline
Upper Primary Literacy Teacher
Dawn Michaels School
08.2022 - 09.2026
Matron and Admin Officer / Students Affairs Head
Goldsprings High School
09.2021 - 07.2022
Weekend Support/Care giver
Shiloh Victory Maternity Ltd.
07.2017 - 01.2020
Head of Language Department/English Teacher
Faith Academy Port Harcourt
08.2015 - 09.2020
Literature Teacher/English Teacher
Dietams International Secondary School
09.2012 - 07.2015
Head of Department/English Teacher
Methodist Girls’ High School
09.2008 - 08.2012
English Teacher, National Youth Service Corps.
Government Secondary School
03.2007 - 03.2008
Bachelor of Education - Education and English
University of Ibadan
01.2001 - 01.2006
Senior School Certificate Exam -
Community Secondary School
01.1994 - 01.2000
First School Leaving Certificate -
Community Primary School
01.1989 - 01.1994
Master of Education - Guidance and Counselling
Rivers State University