SYED INTIKHAB ALI & SADIA SAEED KARACHI - Names of ten teachers have been finalised for Anita Ghulam Ali Teachers' Award 2008, launched as a citizens' initiative on the occasion of World Teachers' Day. Talking to The Nation on Friday, spokeswoman for Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) confirmed that the award giving ceremony would be held today (Saturday) under the chair of Professor Anita Ghulam Ali. Later, a concluding ceremony for this purpose will be held in Islamabad on April 15th under the chair of noted scholar, Professor Khawaja Masood. Professor Anita Ghulam Ali is a living legend in the field of education. She serves as a source of inspiration for teachers and social reformers in Pakistan as well as abroad due to her commitment to create a passion for learning, humanism and impeccable integrity. Anita Ghulam Ali Teachers Award was opened to all teachers of science on merit up to higher secondary level across the country without any quota for provinces or areas. As many as 163 entries were received for the awards from all over the country out of which 144 were incomplete and were returned. However, 40 aspirants were short-listed but this number was further reduced to 10 in the final selection. The award has five categories for selection, professional excellence, intellectual enterprise and resource generation for education, holistic humanism, creative writing on education issues and sacrifices for quality education It is noteworthy that Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA), Female Education Trust (FET) and Oxford University Press (OUP) had decided that they would launch Anita Ghulam Ali Teachers' Award. These awards would be given to 10 best secondary school science teachers from all over the country every year. Lucrative cash prizes would be given to the best school teachers every year. The first prize would be Rs 100,000, second Rs 50,000 for four, third Rs 30,000 for two and four consolation prizes would be worth Rs 15,000. The spokeswoman further said that the selection panel comprised senior educationists, researchers and experts. It includes Professor Khawaja Masud, a renowned thinker and activist, Syed Raza Kazim, researcher and inventor, Dr Arifa Syeda, the Chairperson National Commission on the Status of Women, Dr Mohammad Memon, Agha Khan University, Institute for Education Development (Sindh), Professor Bernadette, Principal Kinnaird College (Lahore), Professor Shaheen Sardar Ali, Professor at Warwick School of Law, University of Oslo, Masood Rizvi, Director British Council (Sindh, Balochistan), Ameena Syed, country director OUP, Bela Raza Jamil, chairperson ITA.