Two Nigerian Teachers, Peace Sule and Stephanie Akinwoya Shortlisted for the 2023 Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize

Two Nigerian teachers, Peace Sule and Stephanie Akinwoya, have been shortlisted for the top 50 Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2023. This prestigious award, organised in partnership with UNESCO and Dubai Cares, a philanthropic organisation based in the UAE, received over 7,000 nominations and applications from 130 countries worldwide.

The Global Teacher Prize, which comes with a USD 1 million award, aims to recognise exceptional teachers who have made a significant contribution to the profession. It also highlights the crucial role that teachers play in society by showcasing inspiring stories of teachers who have transformed the lives of their students.

As a teacher, Peace Sule is driven by her belief that knowledge is essential to progress. She has made significant contributions to achieving educational objectives through her innovative and distinctive teaching methods, creative approaches, selfless service, and willingness to make sacrifices in the classroom. Outside the classroom, she has conducted adult and literacy education programmes to address the needs of individuals who have not received formal schooling. Since 2013, she has also consistently been recognised as the ‘Best Teacher’ or ‘Most Resourceful Teacher’ under the guidance of 10 different principals across various schools.

With the Global Teacher Prize funds, Peace plans to establish a pioneering robotics and artificial intelligence institute in Africa, create a floating school to ensure uninterrupted access to education in flood-prone areas and establish a vocational institute that nurtures students’ talents in acting, music, dance, and fashion design.

Stephanie Akinwoya became a teacher because of her mother’s passion for teaching chemistry. During her undergraduate studies in rural schools, Stephanie observed that numerous female students had a hesitancy towards STEM subjects. As a result, she established the Girls-Pro-STEM initiative to cultivate interest in STEM among girls in public secondary schools. Stephanie collaborated with global organizations to offer training, assistance, and guidance to more than 200 girls. A lot of these girls have subsequently represented their schools in national and international competitions.

His Excellency, Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares said, “Congratulations to the teachers who have secured a place in the Top 50 list of the prestigious Global Teacher Prize. Teachers are the driving force behind progress, inspiring and shaping the leaders and innovators of tomorrow. In addition to imparting knowledge, the role of teachers needs to be redefined as coaches, mentors, and facilitators who can empower their students to achieve their full potential by instilling in their students the values, skills, knowledge, and experiences they need to contribute solutions to the global challenges facing humanity and thrive in our ever-changing world. 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.”

Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education said, “I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Peace Sule and Stephanie Akinwoya. UNESCO is a proud partner of the Global Teacher Prize because teachers deserve our great recognition. They inspire and prepare children and youth to navigate a rapidly evolving world. Their efforts play a leading role in transforming education for the future.”

Applications and nominations for this year’s Global Teacher Prize opened on May 6, 2023, and closed on June 25, 2023.

Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation said, “Congratulations to Peace Sule and Stephanie Akinwoya. 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 sweeping changes in technology.”

The prize is open to working teachers who teach children who 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.

When teachers apply for the Global Teacher Prize, they are evaluated based on their teaching methods, innovative solutions to tackle local issues, ability to produce measurable results, impact on the community outside of the classroom, contributions towards creating global citizens, efforts towards improving the teaching profession, and recognition from external sources. Later in the year, the top 10 finalists will be announced, setting a higher standard of respect for the teaching profession. The winner will then be chosen from this group by the Global Teacher Prize Academy, which comprises prominent individuals and will be announced at a later date.

If you nominate a teacher, you will need to provide a short explanation online as to why you think they deserve the recognition. Should the teacher be chosen, they will receive an email informing them of their selection and inviting them to apply for the prize. The application process is available in English, Mandarin, Arabic, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian.