10 finalists for $1m teacher prize

Annual award to be given on March 18 recognises a teacher who has made outstanding contribution

Annual award to be given on March 18 recognises a teacher who has made outstanding contribution |

The 10 finalists of the Varkey Foundation’s $1 million Global Teacher Prize held in Dubai every year were announced yesterday by philanthropist Bill Gates.

The winner of the annual prize, which is the largest of its kind and awarded under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will be announced on March 18 at the Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF) in Dubai.

The finalists have been selected from over 30,000 nominations and applications from 173 countries around the world.

In a special video message announcing the top ten finalists, Gates paid special tribute to Shaikh Mohammad for his support of the prize, which highlights the work of teachers around the world.

Now in its fourth edition, 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.

“When you think about what drives progress and improvement in the world, education is like a master switch — one that opens up all sorts of opportunities for individuals and societies. And research has shown that having a great teacher can be the most important factor

that determines whether students get a great education,” said Gates.

He noted that finalists were selected based on a rigorous set of criteria, including their proven effectiveness in inspiring students and helping them learn.