‘Inspiring’ teachers in UAE urged to apply for Global Teacher Prize
Recent winner Sister Zeph highlights noble role of teachers in empowering students
Dubai: “Inspiring” UAE teachers have been urged to apply for the ninth Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize, organised in collaboration with UNESCO and in partnership with GEMS Education. The $1 million award is the biggest prize of its kind for teachers.
Sister Zeph, the winner of the last edition of the Global Teacher Prize, encouraged UAE teachers to apply for the prize. She founded her own school for underprivileged children in the courtyard of her home at just 13. Sister Zeph received her trophy during a ceremony at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris.
She said, “Throughout the UAE, inspiring teachers have dedicated their lives to empowering their students and helping them reach their full potential. This is a monumental task, and it is why teachers will always matter. I encourage them to apply for the Global Teacher Prize, and urge parents and pupils to nominate the incredible educators who have made such a difference to the lives of so many. Their stories deserve to be told, and the world should know about all their achievements.”
Transformative impact
Lisa Crausby, Chief Education Officer at GEMS Education, said: “At GEMS Education, we see first-hand the transformative impact that teachers have on the lives of young people worldwide. Every day, they inspire, uplift and nurture the minds of future generations. We are deeply honoured to partner with the Global Teacher Prize, a remarkable initiative that recognizes the dedication, passion, and resilience of teachers everywhere who are working tirelessly to build a brighter, more hopeful world.”
Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Global Teacher Prize and Chairman of the Varkey Foundation, said, “The Global Teacher Prize was created to spotlight the critical role of education in addressing the major challenges of our time – from combating climate change to reducing inequality and navigating technological change. I encourage all inspiring teachers in the UAE to step forward and apply for this year’s prize, joining a global community of educators leading the way to build a better future.”
Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, said: “UNESCO is proud to support the Global Teacher Prize, which honours the dedication and impact of teachers worldwide. In a time of global teacher shortages, challenging conditions and technological advances, recognizing and investing in teachers is essential to building a just, inclusive, and sustainable future. Teachers matter as they shape not only the next generation but the future of our societies.”
How UAE teachers have fared so far
In 2021, Riadh Zammali, a PE teacher at the Ghayathi Centre for Special Needs in Abu Dhabi, was among the top 50 finalists. In 2020, Mohamed Mohtady, a sixth to twelfth-grade teacher at Anas Bin Al Nadr School in Fujairah, was named in the top 50. Rashed Hashem, a Physical Education and Health teacher at Al Moatasem Public School for boys in Baniyas, Abu Dhabi, made the top 50 in 2019.
Two UAE teachers reached the top 50 in 2017: Shaikha Al Shehhi, an English teacher from Al Dhait Girls Secondary School, Ras Al Khaimah, and Rohan Roberts, a teacher of the GEMS Honours Programme and Astronomy at the GEMS Wellington Academy Silicon Oasis in Dubai.
Eligibility criteria
The prize is open to working teachers who teach children who are in compulsory schooling or are between the ages of five and eighteen. Teachers who teach children age 4+ in an Early Years government-recognised curriculum are also eligible, as are teachers who teach on a part-time basis, and teachers of online courses. T
eachers must spend at least 10 hours per week teaching and plan to remain in the profession for the next five years. It is open to teachers in every kind of school and, subject to local laws, in every country in the world.
Teachers applying for the Global Teacher Prize will be assessed on teaching practices, how they innovate to address local challenges, achieve demonstrable learning outcomes, impact the community beyond the classroom, help children become global citizens, improve the teaching profession and gain recognition from external bodies.
Interested teachers can apply for the Global Teacher Prize at the globalteacherprize.org website and the closing date for applications is December 9.
The prize will be narrowed down to a Top 50 shortlist and Top 10 finalists, to be announced next year, helping to raise the bar of respect for the teaching profession. The winner will be chosen from the top 10 finalists by the Global Teacher Prize Academy made up of prominent individuals and will be announced in 2025.
If teachers are being nominated, the person nominating them will write a brief description online explaining why. The teacher being nominated will then be sent an email letting them know they have been nominated and inviting them to apply for the prize. Applicants can apply in English, Mandarin, Arabic, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian.