Abu Dhabi teacher up for $1m global prize

An Abu Dhabi teacher who dedicates his life to improving learning through non-traditional methods has been shortlisted for a prize that recognises the best teacher in the world.

Rashed Hashem, an Emirati physical education and health teacher at Al Moatasem Public School for boys in Baniyas, is included in the top 50 candidates for the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2019.

British schoolteacher Andria Zafirakou won the prize last year for her work with disadvantaged pupils in London, many of whom spoke English as a second language. The award is now in its fifth year and is worth US$1 million (Dh3.67m).

The teachers shortlisted for the prize were selected from more than 10,000 nominations from 179 countries.

Mr Hashem works in a school in a relatively poor area, and his contribution to the profession has been through equipping non-traditional learning environments to improve pupil’s learning levels through mobility.

Mr Hashem used his experience in sport to help pupils with disabilities.

He also established non-traditional educational laboratories at the Zayed Centre for the Mind Industry, the first such educational centre in the Middle East.

He is the first Emirati teacher to be appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations.

The top 50 list has teachers from 39 countries, including India, Nepal, Poland, Colombia and Palestine.

The winner will be announced at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai on March 24.

After Ms Zafirakou’s victory last year, three UK teachers are on the shortlist for this year’s award – Emma Russo, a physics teacher from London; Andrew Moffat, an assistant headteacher from Birmingham; and Jimmy Rotherham from Bradford.

The Global Teacher Prize was set up to recognise an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession and to shed light on the important role teachers play in society.

Mr Hashem has been equipping non-traditional learning environments to improve pupil’s learning levels through mobility