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Nominations open for N200m Global Teacher Prize

By Kamal Tayo Oropo and Olawunmi Ojo
03 June 2015   |   11:09 pm
THE Global Teacher Prize, an annual one million dollar award instituted by United Kingdom-based Varkey Foundation to honour teachers from around the world has opened for nominations and applications.
Vikas Pota

Vikas Pota

THE Global Teacher Prize, an annual one million dollar award instituted by United Kingdom-based Varkey Foundation to honour teachers from around the world has opened for nominations and applications.

In a statement, chief executive of the foundation, Vikas Pota, said the application, which opened on Friday, May 29, would be on till Saturday, October 10. Pota said applications for the Prize, now in its second year, were opening just as world leaders called on governments around the world to protect and value teachers, and play their part in restoring the respect that teachers so richly deserve.

“The Varkey Foundation and Club de Madrid have joined forces to publish an open letter, saying: “Frequently the ills of society are laid at the door of teachers. They are blamed for everything from a decline in manners among young people to a lack of basic skills in the workplace.

“The Global Teacher Prize was founded to celebrate hard-working teachers around the world and counteract this victimization!” Pota stated. He called on teachers to apply, and on people to nominate teachers who are deemed fit to have impacted their students positively by visiting www.globalteacherprize.org/application.

“One innovative and caring teacher who has made an inspirational impact on their students and their community will receive the reward of a lifetime. Are you that teacher? Now you can apply for the ‘Nobel Prize’ of teaching and help us to raise the status of this noble profession around the world.

If you meet the criteria and are currently teaching children between the age of 5 and 18, you are able to apply for this award. “On another hand, if you are not a teacher, this is the moment to give a huge thank you to that special teacher in your life who made all the difference. Show the world that #TeachersMatter by nominating your favorite teacher,” Pota said.

At the last edition, only 98 teachers from Nigeria applied for the prize, which was a lower figure than some other countries such as the United States (174) and India (193). Nigeria had no teachers in the final 50 shortlisted candidates while other African nations such as Morocco, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and Madagascar all featured.

The winner would be announced at the Global Education and Skills Forum next year March in Dubai, United Arabs Emirate (UAE). The prize was awarded to its first recipient, Nancie Atwell, an English teacher from Maine, United States of America last March at an event that had government representatives, ministers and stakeholders in education in attendance.

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