Dubai: The 10 finalists of the $1 million (Dh3.672 million) Global Teacher Prize award have been selected, it was announced on Wednesday.
Now in its second year, the Global Teacher Prize was set up to recognise one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to shine a spotlight on the important role teachers play in society.
By unearthing thousands of stories of heroes who have transformed young people’s lives, the prize hopes to bring to life the exceptional work of millions of teachers all over the world.
The top ten finalists for the Global Teacher Prize 2016 are: Aqeela Asifi, who teaches children at Kot Chandana refugee camp, Punjab, Pakistan; Ayub Mohamud, a business studies teacher at Eastleigh High School in Nairobi, Kenya; Colin Hegarty, from Preston Manor School, a comprehensive in Wembley, North West London, UK; Hanan Al Hroub, from Samiha Khalil High School, Al Bireh, Palestine; Joe Fatheree from Effingham High School, Effingham, Illinois, USA; Kazuya Takahashi, a teacher at Kogakuin University Junior and Senior High School, Tokyo, Japan; Maarit Rossi, a maths teacher at Kartanonranta School, Finland; Michael Soskil from Wallenpaupack South Elementary School, Newfoundland, Pennsylvania, USA; Richard Johnson, a science teacher at Rostrata Primary School, Perth, Western Australia; and Robin Chaurasiya, from Kranti School, Mumbai, India.
The top ten have been narrowed down from 8,000 nominations and applications from 148 countries.
The winner will be announced at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai on March 13. All ten finalists will be invited to Dubai for the Award ceremony.
Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation, congratulated the ten finalists for being selected from such a huge number of talented and dedicated teachers.
“I hope their stories will inspire those looking to enter the teaching profession and also shine a powerful spotlight on the incredible work teachers do throughout the world every day.”
Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, applauded the launch of the Global Teacher Prize, which recognises their worth
“I count my teachers as among the most influential people in my life. Teachers are entrusted with nurturing the potential of the young and helping them blossom as productive and responsible members of society. It is hard to underestimate their value.”
Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said he was so excited by the plans to launch the Global Teacher Prize.
“I also want to recognise the leadership of Sunny Varkey, Founder of GEMS Education, who had the idea for this prize and is a great partner for our Foundation.”
Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey, who sits on the Global Teacher Prize Academy that chooses the final winner, said teachers provide the kind of mentoring and personal support that every young person needs to realise their potential. “However much we achieve in life, we all began learning the basics from a teacher in a classroom. Those that teach — devoting their talents and time to nurturing the talents of others — deserve to be respected and celebrated,” he said.
The winner of the Global Teacher Prize in 2015, Nancie Atwell, from Maine, USA, said she was honoured and proud to have received the Global Teacher Prize. “I love my teaching life — the intellectual, social, and personal challenges of working with young people and the satisfaction of developing methods that transform their lives and give them perspective on the lives of others,” she said.
