Peter Tabichi
Peter Tabichi, a Maths and Physics teacher from Kenya, has won the prestigious award Image Credit: Clint Egbert/Gulf News

Dubai: Today, one teacher has been awarded the recognition of a lifetime, out of t en finalists from across the globe.

Peter Tabichi, a Maths and Physics teacher from Kenya, has won the prestigious award and the attached prize bag worth around Dh3.7 million.

Global Teacher Prize gala is an annual star-studded event in the UAE, where one outstanding educator is awarded $1 million (Dh3.7 million) for extraordinary work in their field.

This year, the event was held at the Atlantis, The Palm on Sunday, March 24.

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Hugh Jackman, popularly known for his 17-year run as Wolverine in the superhero franchise ‘X-Men’, was in town to announce the winner of the Global Teacher Prize.

He also surprised attendees of The Assembly: A Global Teacher Prize Concert in Dubai on Saturday.

What is the Global Teacher Prize

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.

Global Teacher Prize 2019 finalists with Jackman
Global Teacher Prize 2019 finalists with Jackman Image Credit: Twitter

In 2018, Andria Zafirakou from the United Kingdom, won the prestigious award. The event was launched five years ago by the UAE-based non-profit Varkey Foundation. 

Finalists

Finalists were selected from over 10,000 nominees and applications from 179 countries around the world. Apart from these, there have also been tens of thousands of applications for the 33 National Teacher Prizes that have been inspired by the Global Teacher Prize.

The winners of each National Teacher Prize were also put forward for consideration when the top 50 shortlist for this year’s global prize was decided.

The top 10 were narrowed down from a shortlist of 50 in December.

● Andrew Moffat MBE, a Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) teacher from Parkfield Community School, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom

● Daisy Mertens, an all subjects teacher at community-based school De Vuurvogel, Helmond, Netherlands

● Débora Garofalo a Technologies for Learning teacher at EMEF Almirante Ary Parreiras, São Paulo, Brazil

● Hidekazu Shoto, an English language and ICT teacher at Ritsumeikan Primary School, Kyoto, Japan

● Martin Salvetti, Head of Automative Studies and Adult Professional Training, at EEST N°5 “2 de Abril” Temperley, Temperley, Buenos Aires, Argentina

● Melissa Salguero, a music teacher at P.S.48 Joseph R Drake elementary school, the Bronx, New York, United States

● Peter Tabichi, a maths and physics teacher at Keriko Secondary School, Pwani Village, Nakuru, Kenya

● Swaroop Rawal, a life skills teacher, at Lavad Primary School, Gujarat, India

● Vladimer Apkhazava, a civic education teacher at Chibati Public School, Tbilisi, Georgia

● Yasodai Selvakumaran a history and society and culture teacher, at Rooty Hill High School, New South Wales, Australia