2 Nigerians make Global Teacher Prize Top 50 Finalists

Itodo Anthony and Ayodele Odeogbola have been named among the top 50 finalists of the Global Teacher Prize.

The Global Teacher Prize, a $1 million prize awarded annually, is given to a teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession of teaching.

A teacher’s reward is in heaven, we often hear, but the prize makes certain that teachers need not wait until the afterlife to be rewarded for their earthly efforts.

The prize is awarded by the Varkey Foundation, under the patronage of the vice president and prime minister of UAE and Emir of Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Itodo Anthony studied Petroleum Engineering at the University of Port Harcourt and has a masters degree from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Campus. He teaches at Gateway Excel College Otukpa, Benue State.

In 2017, he founded a community-based organisation for youths – New Frontiers Youth Forum. He’s active on Facebook – Itodo Samuel Anthony, where he often discusses the strides his students are making.

Ayodele Odeogbola teaches STEM Education and Global Studies at Abeokuta Grammar School.

Odeogbola has also developed a professional development scheme that has so far trained over 2,000 teachers with the support of the United States Mission in Nigeria, Microsoft Nigeria and Ogun State Government. He can be found on his Twitter, @Ebunayo, where he discusses his passion – teaching.

See the full shortlist of 50 for the Global Teacher Prize below:

GermánAlberto Soto, Escuela Técnica Fray Luis Beltrán, Argentina
Silvana Andrea Carnicero Sanguinetti, Escuela Técnica Nº 33, Argentina
Sarah Mathews, Brisbane Bayside State College, Australia
Eddie Woo, Cherrybrook Technology High School, Australia
Wilbur Klein, Tjuntjuntjara Remote Community School, Australia
Koen Timmers, CVO De Verdieping, – Zelfstudie.be online school, Belgium
Diego Mahfouz Faria Lima, Escola Municipal Darcy Ribeiro, Brasil
Rubens Ferronato, State School Dom Pedro II, Brazil
Joe Grabowski, St. John Catholic School, Canada
Marcela Lissette Henríquez Aravena, Liceo Polivalente Carlos Montané Castro, Chile
Jhon Alexander Echeverri Acosta, El Salado Educational Institution, Colombia
Luis Miguel Bermudez Gutierrez, Colegio Gerardo Paredes IED, Colombia
Carlos Enrique Sánchez Santamaria, Instituto Técnico Industrial San Juan Bosco, Colombia
Jukka Sinnemäki, Jyväskylä Christian School, Finland
Patrick Saoula, Collège les Bréguières, France
Sitsofe Enyonam Anku, Meagasa Mathematics Academy, Ghana
Pradeep Negi, Govt. Inter College BHEL, India
Ahmad Riza Wahono, Madrasah Technonatura, Indonesia
Dongmei Yang, Xing’an League Wulanhaote Ninth Middle School, Inner Mongolia
Lorella Carimali, Liceo Scientifico Statale Vittorio Veneto, Italy
Mio Horio, Shiga Prefectural Maibara Senior High School, Japan
Samar Naazal, Female Irbid Preparatory City / UNWRA, Jordan
Abdikadir Ismail, Mwangaza Muslim Mixed Day School, Kenya
Hiba Ballout, Saint George Schools, Lebanon
K.A. RAZHIYAH, Panji Secondary School Kota Bharu, Malaysia
Binod Shahi , Shree Yanger Gumba Primary School, Nepal
Ayodele Odeogbola, Abeokuta Grammar School, Nigeria
Itodo Anthony, Gateway Excel College Otukpa, Nigeria
Barbara Anna Zielonka, Nannestad High School , Norway
Jesus Insilada, Alcarde Gustilo Memorial National High School, Philippines
Ryan Homan, San Jose Elementary School Donsol West District, Philippines
Nataliia Kiseleva, State educational establishment “School 1409”, Russia
Željana Radojičić-Lukić, Elementary school “Milan Rakić” Mionica, Serbia
Wendy Horn, Protea Heights Academy, South Africa
Marjorie Brown, Roedean School, South Africa
Xuxo Ruiz Dominguez, Ceip San Sebastián, Spain
Hamadony Muzafarov “Dunyoi Donish” Tajikistan
Nurten Akkuş, Ayvacık Pre-School, Turkey
Catherine Nakabugo, St.Andrew Kaggwa Gombe High School, Uganda
Andria Zafirakou, Alperton Community School, United Kingdom
Rebecca Cramer, Reach Academy Feltham, United Kingdom
Eartha Pond, The Crest Academy, United Kingdom
Tuesday Humby, Ormiston Chadwick, United Kingdom
Glenn Lee, Waialua High & Intermediate School, United States
Keith Hancock, Tesoro High School , United States
Joseph Underwood, Miami Senior High, United States
Melissa Collins, John P. Freeman Optional School, United States
Akash Patel, Thomas J. Rusk Middle School, United States
Melinda Wilson, Curie Metropolitan High School for the Performing & Technical Arts, United States
Nam Thanh, Vinschool, Vietnam