A Moment With
A moment with Vikas Pota CEO of the Varkey Foundation
By Carolyn Lee
The 21st century ushered in a new and exciting era in education. Teachers started to explore innovative ways of teaching and learning. The amazing breakthrough with new technologies created distinctive platforms that connected teachers, education suppliers and education experts globally. From this pool of education innovators, a new and distinguished class of leaders, movers and shakers within the global education community emerged. Vikas Pota, CEO of the Varkey Foundation stands among the leaders of this class.
Vikas is uniquely positioned to tap into the pulse of some of the transformative methodologies, resources and the outstanding teachers who are changing the way we learn. His work allows him to improve the standards of education for underprivileged children worldwide.
A firm believer in education, philanthropy and collaboration, Vikas has worked extensively with various charitable organisations. He is the recipient of numerous honours and awards.
Join Teach Middle East Magazine as we delve a little into his background and find out from him what makes him tick.
Share a bit about your upbringing and early goals.
I was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and moved over to the United Kingdom when I was nine years old. I went to Edgware Junior School and then onto Edgware Secondary School, which was a state comprehensive school in North West London. I was committed to getting my education. I expected that it would lead to better things. I quickly learnt that a good teacher is important. You need to have a‘ get-upand-go’ attitude to be able to figure things out for yourself. I also learned that it is vital to surround yourself with people who have good values in their lives and in what they do.
Who inspires you most?
I am a fan of the underdog, people overcoming adversity and going on to succeed against the odds. These stories really inspire me, as they teach us about human potential. My mother inspires me a lot. She came from a poor background and raised my sister and I single-handed after my father died. This was a tall order and a big achievement. There are major political and historic figures like Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi who have had a big influence on me. We are in the process of discovering who their equivalents in today’ s age are going to be, which is very exciting.
What motivates you to get involved with charitable work?
The role of charities has fundamentally changed in the last few years. Technological advances are making the world a smaller place, yet the challenges we face over big issues such as global inequality and the environment only get bigger. The fact that half a billion children don’ t have access to a good teacher is almost unbelievable in this day and age.
I strongly believe in innovating the various roles that can be played by charity, particularly in cases where progressive organisations can make meaningful and productive links with business, charity, and policy makers- anyone who can help change the situation for the better. We need to work together in better networks and greater partnerships to make real and lasting change.
Describe a childhood experience that changed your outlook on education.
My grandparents left India to pursue better lives in the 1920s. They helped build the Railways in East Africa, where my father and his siblings were born. Owing to the worsening political situation, my family decided to move to London in the early‘ 80s for better prospects of future generations. Soon after arriving, when I was very young, my father died. My mother raised my sister and I with the support of our loving extended family. She worked two jobs at times to ensure we were provided for, including in a samosa shop, a photo processing plant, an old people’ s home.
She strongly instilled in me the importance of education, when it comes to getting on in life. When I was choosing GCSE options at the age of 14 she said something, which has stuck with me to this day. She said:“ all I want you to do is to get to university, because everyone around you who has, seems to have done well for themselves”. It was her hard work in those different jobs that gave me the education I have today. In March this year, I received an honorary degree from my old college, Aston University in Birmingham. I was delighted and proud to take my mother with me. She had inspired me to embrace education in the way that I have, throughout my life. As Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation, has often said, and as I now say to my two daughters:“ Whatever the question, education is the answer.”
What is a typical workday like for you?
Today, technology makes it easier to connect and co-ordinate with the Varkey Foundation colleagues all around the world. Skype calls with our people in different locations can take up a lot of my morning. The day starts with calls with colleagues from the East, moving on to the West, followed potentially by some media interviews. In those, I am promoting and answering interview questions about some of our initiatives such as the Global Teacher Prize. I am often asked to comment on emerging education ideas and my views on new reports published about the education sector. Afternoons are packed with meetings with many of our partners such as Harvard Graduate School of Education, Dubai Cares, and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa among others. We have discussions and updates of initiatives such as our annual Global Education and Skills Forum, which is often referred to as“ the Davos of education.” I try to spend the evening with my family, but sometimes I have a networking event with an important opinion former, journalist or celebrity, who can use their platform to highlight key education initiatives.
This is, of course, if I am in the UK. I am often travelling, visiting and overseeing
38 | Mar- Apr 2017 | | After The Bell