Saudi teacher wins $1 million Global Teacher Prize at World Governments Summit

ubai: Saudi Arabian teacher Mansour bin Abdullah Al-Mansour, who has volunteered over 3,000 hours helping his community, including transforming the lives of hundreds of gifted orphans and prisoners, was on Thursday named the winner of the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, presented the award instituted by the Varkey Foundation at the World Governments Summit in Dubai.

Organised in collaboration with UNESCO, the $1 million award, now in its ninth year, is the largest prize of its kind.

A teacher at Prince Saud bin Jalawi School in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, Al-Mansour has been teaching in low-income neighbourhoods since 2001, supporting students facing academic challenges, including those with disabilities, learning difficulties, and children from illiterate families.

Initially teaching from a small, rented school building, what was essentially the school kitchen, Mansour transformed the school into being recognised as one of the top 10 learning environments in Saudi Arabia for gifted education.

“Thank you to GEMS Education, the Varkey Foundation, and UNESCO for this incredible honour,” Al-Mansour said on winning the prize.

Will build school for orphans

He said it was humbling to be recognised among remarkable educators from all around the world.”

He said he will make use of the award to support more underprivileged children, especially the orphans spending the $1 million prize money on building a school for talented orphans.

“Through this powerful new platform, I hope to uplift the lives of many more children in Saudi Arabia and beyond. Every child deserves the chance to shine, regardless of their circumstances, and I will continue to work towards breaking barriers so that no young person is left behind,” he said.

Exceptional teacher

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. Since its launch, the Global Teacher Prize has received over 100,000 applications and nominations from around the globe.

Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Global Teacher Prize and GEMS Education, and Chairman of the Varkey Foundation, who was also present to give away the award, congratulated the winner

“Your inspiring journey is a true reflection of your passion, dedication, and the life-changing power of education,” Varkey highlighted.

Why was he chosen?

Al-Mansour was selected from over 5,000 nominations and applications from 89 countries around the world.

To achieve this, he provided his students with training at the top talent and creativity centres in the Kingdom, connected them with renowned professors at King Faisal University through a mentorship programme, established an innovation incubator to nurture their ideas, and worked to enhance their economic conditions. As a result, his students have earned prestigious accolades on global stages.

Mansour also helped his students take part in the ‘Riyali Financial Awareness Initiative’, aimed at empowering low-income students by equipping them with entrepreneurship skills and financial literacy training to become financially independent.

In collaboration with charitable organisations, Mansour provided interest-free loans of 500 SAR per student to establish small businesses (kiosks), with students earning between 1,300-1,500 SAR within two months. One student now owns a small business, generating a stable income of 1,500-2,500 SAR monthly.

Mansour has also donated over 3,000 hours of voluntary service. This includes giving his time to teach close to 250 gifted orphans, equipping them with key life skills. These orphans are scattered across different schools, and Mansour plans support them through his new school.

Beyond the classrooms

Outside of official hours, Mansour leads a programme for prison inmates, helping them to read and write, giving them a second chance at life. As a result of Mansour’s tutoring, several prisoners have seen their sentences reduced. Mansour has also co-founded several charitable, educational, and humanitarian associations, including the Qabas Educational Association providing literacy programmes to 3,250 learners.

Beyond his work with students, Mansour supports other teachers. He has authored more than 21 books on education, including subjects like innovative teaching and professional ethics, and provided over 300 training hours to educators across the Gulf region.

Mansour’s contributions have been so impactful that he was appointed as an international ambassador for Hamdan Bin Rashid Foundation in Dubai, for which he travels across the Gulf countries sharing his expertise and training teachers.

The top 10 finalists for the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize were Brett Dascombe from Australia; Céline Haller from France; Erick Hueck from the US; Karina Sarro from Argentina; Mohammad Imran Khan Mewati from India; Muhammad Nazmi from Malaysia; Ramón Majé Floriano from Colombia; Subash Chandar K from New Zealand; and Tionge Mtambo from Malawi.

Lisa Crausby, Chief Education Officer at GEMS Education, said: “At GEMS Education, we see every day the immense impact that teachers have on their students and communities – and the power of education to truly transform lives for the better. It gives me great pleasure to congratulate Mansour on winning the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize. This is a well-deserved recognition of your remarkable efforts to uplift and inspire not just young minds, but educators worldwide.”

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, recognising 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.”

Spark platform launched

This week, Sunny Varkey, founder of the Global Teacher Prize, also launched Spark, a global platform for young people to come together to reimagine education. It is designed to help the next generation face some of the greatest challenges in history, including rising inequality, sweeping technological changes, and climate change.

Announcing the launch of Spark, Varkey said: “Spark will bring to life young people’s struggles and their triumphs. Too often, we reduce education to numbers: graduation rates, literacy levels, and test scores. But behind every number, there’s a young person fighting for their future. If we get this right, this platform will be greater than any influencer, greater than any single individual, and more powerful than anything money could ever buy.”