The application and nomination process for the 2021 Global Teacher Prize is open now!
The Global Teacher Prize serves to underline the importance of educators and the fact that, throughout the world, their efforts deserve to be recognized and celebrated. It seeks to acknowledge the impacts of the very best teachers – not only on their students but on the communities around them.
Inadequate education is a major factor behind the social, political, economic and health issues faced by the world today. We believe education has the power to reduce poverty, prejudice and conflict.
Looking for fully-funded opportunities, install the Youth Opportunities Android or iOS App here.
Teachers work tirelessly to provide an education for children around the world so the status of teachers is critically important to our global future. Teacher status has a significant impact on recruitment, retention, job satisfaction and performance.
In 2013, the Varkey Foundation commissioned Populus, the leading research and strategy consultancy, to gather in-depth opinions from 21 countries to explore attitudes about the teaching profession; teachers’ salaries; students’ attitudes towards educators and how participants rated their own education systems.
The results, published as the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Status Index, formed the first comprehensive attempt to compare the status of teachers across the world.
In many countries, it was clear that the profession’s status had dropped and the findings shocked Sunny Varkey, the Varkey Foundation’s Chairman, whose parents had both been teachers. He founded the Global Teacher Prize as a response with the aim of raising the profession’s profile.
Global Teacher Prize is making a real difference to the profession and having a very positive effect at both a grassroots level and on the global stage.
In the prize’s inaugural year, there were over 5,000 entries from 127 countries which generated a huge amount of media interest. Reporting around the world has been tremendously supportive of the shortlisted teachers while a host of high-profile endorsers have included His Holiness Pope Francis, Prince William, Prince Harry, Stephen Hawking, Hugh Jackman, and Bill Gates who have been very vocal in their support.
Since 2014, the Global Teacher Prize has gone from strength to strength, with the 2020 Prize bringing in over 12,000 applications and nominations. The Prize has inspired over 40 National Teacher Prizes to recognize and celebrate teachers at the country level.
Benefits
- A chance to win US $1 million dollars
- An opportunity to be recognised for teaching efforts
- A chance to impact community through teaching
- Interaction with great teachers all over the world
Eligibilities
- Be at least eighteen (18) years old at time of entry;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 children face-to-face, and plan to remain in the teaching profession for the next 5 years.
- The Prize is open to teachers in every kind of school and, subject to local laws, in every country in the world
- Head-teachers with teaching responsibilities are also eligible to apply.
- Not be prohibited from participating in the Contest or receiving the Prize under the applicable law of their country
- Not, nor any connected person of an Applicant, have a criminal record
- Not, nor any connected person of an Applicant, have conducted themselves (by act or omission) in such a way as to bring the teaching profession or VF, its affiliates, any GEMS Education group company, or their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, and subsidiaries (“VF Parties”) into disrepute or to have been adversely prejudicial to the interests of any of them (as may be determined at the sole discretion of VF)
- Not be a previous Prize winner
- Not be a previous Top 10 candidate
Application Process
- Apply online through the Apply Now link
- The application must be done through online
- Need to submit 800 words essay on your teaching story.
- Need to write several essays of 300 words on context and challenges you have faced, your teaching approach, innovation, your classroom achievements, the impact you had on your community, how you are developing global citizens, how you are improving the teaching profession, recognition of your teaching, on COVID-19, and how you would use the prize fund.
Looking for fully-funded opportunities, install the Youth Opportunities Android or iOS App here.
Application Deadline: April 30, 2021
Application ClosedOfficial link
