Inspiring Nigerian teachers urged to apply for 2023 $1m Global Teacher Prize  

By Business A.M.

Inspiring Nigerian teachers are urged  to apply for the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2023, organised in collaboration with UNESCO and in strategic partnership with Dubai Cares.

The annual  $1 million award,now in its eighth year, is the biggest prize of its kind for a teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession.

Keishia Thorpe, a U.S teacher ,who opened up college education for low-income, first-generation American, immigrant and refugee students, emerged winner of the last edition of the Global Teacher Prize.

Thorpe, who acknowledged the integral role that Nigerian teachers play in nurturing the next generation of visionaries, encouraged the teachers to partake in the open application for the $1 million prize.

He said; “Every day, inspiring teachers across Nigeria champion their students and help them become the best that they can be. That is no small feat, and it is why teachers will always matter.

“I encourage them to apply for the Global Teacher Prize 2023, and call on parents and pupils to nominate the great educators in their lives. They deserve to have their stories heard, and for the world to know about all that they have accomplished.”

On his part, Tariq Al Gurg, chief executive officer and vice-chairman of Dubai Cares, a long-standing support organisation of the Global Teacher Prize, described teachers as the driving force behind progress, noting that they are the ones who inspire and shape the leaders and innovators of the future.

Speaking further, he said, “Beyond imparting knowledge, teachers are also coaches, mentors, and facilitators who empower their students to achieve their full potential. Through their guidance and support, teachers also instill in students the values, skills, knowledge and experiences that are instrumental in building a prosperous and sustainable future for all. We value our long-standing partnership with the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize, which celebrates the tireless efforts and incredible accomplishments of teachers around the world and their role in driving human development.”

Sunny Varkey, founder of the Global Teacher Prize and chairman of the Varkey Foundation, explained that the Global Teacher Prize was launched to highlight the importance of education in tackling the great challenges ahead – from climate change to growing inequality to global pandemics.

“ I urge inspiring teachers all around the world to apply for this year’s edition.

“Policymakers must never forget that it is only by prioritizing education that we can safeguard all our tomorrows,” he added.

The prize is open to working teachers who teach children that are in compulsory schooling or are between the ages of five and eighteen. Teachers who teach children age 4+ in an Early Years government-recognised curriculum are also eligible, as are teachers who teach on a part-time basis, and teachers of online courses. Teachers must spend at least 10 hours per week teaching and plan to remain in the profession for the next 5 years.  It is open to teachers in every kind of school and, subject to local laws, in every country in the world.

Teachers applying for the Global Teacher Prize will be assessed on teaching practices, how they innovate to address local challenges, achieve demonstrable learning outcomes, impact the community beyond the classroom, help children become global citizens, improve the teaching profession and gain recognition from external bodies.

Interested teachers can apply for the Global Teacher Prize at www.globalteacherprize.org and the closing date for applications is 28 May 2023.

The prize will be narrowed down to a Top 50 shortlist and Top 10 finalists, to be announced later in the year, helping to raise the bar of respect for the teaching profession. The winner will be chosen from the top 10 finalists by the Global Teacher Prize Academy made up of prominent individuals, and will be announced later this year.

If teachers are being nominated, the person nominating them will write a brief description online explaining why. The teacher being nominated will then be sent an email letting them know they have been nominated and inviting them to apply for the prize. Applicants can apply in English, Mandarin, Arabic, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian.