A Moment With many of our programmes around the world – leadership training in Uganda, interactive distance learning for girls in Ghana, among others. I also attend a lot of education conferences, to both contribute ideas and stay on top of global developments. Or I may be travelling with our Global Teacher Prize winner, Hanan Al Hroub from Palestine, as she spreads knowledge of her acclaimed methods of teaching traumatised children in conflict zones. She has also been promoting a message about the importance and responsibility of educating the world’ s refugee children, which she recently spoke about at the United Nations.
Share 3 positive ways in which the Global Teacher Prize( GTP) has impacted education globally.
The Global Teacher Prize is not about one teacher but uncovering stories of thousands of superhero teachers around the world. We’ re extremely proud to have uncovered and then showcased the great work of these teachers. By shining a huge spotlight on the importance of great teachers, we hope to raise the respect of the whole profession. Many of the teachers who are shortlisted in the top 50 go on to become household names in their countries. That in itself is an achievement. It is great to have them being role models for young people.
We’ ve launched the Varkey Teacher Ambassadors network. This is a virtual community of role model teachers who will help to promote best practices in education and teaching as a profession. When our finalists from the GTP and other educators meet in Dubai at the Global Education and Skills Forum( GESF) to share best practice, we pool that knowledge, information and experience. We are developing a repository of the best teaching knowledge in the world. We are very proud of that.
Finally, the GTP initiative inspired the creation of new national teacher awards, as different countries help to elevate the status of the profession across the world. We hope to have around 30 national prizes by GESF in March 2017. This means educators in Argentina, Italy, Liberia, Nepal, Palestine and Uganda will have the chance to be recognised as the best in their country. Those finalists will partner and interact with the GTP teachers and organisation. They could potentially end up as shortlisted candidates for the US $ 1M Global Teacher Prize itself.
Congratulations on being included on the London Evening Standard’ s Progress 1000 list of influential people in London …
The London Evening Standard’ s Progress 1000 list includes amazing talents, who have contributed so much to our great city of London, which continues to lead the world. I was humbled to have been included among them. It was an honour for me.
This kind of high profile recognition is of course invaluable to our mission at the Varkey Foundation, where, from our base in a global capital, we strive to give every teacher around the world the status they deserve, as well as every child the chance of a good education.
With my family having moved to London from East Africa, I know first hand that the city has provided many opportunities to immigrants like us. London is such an incredible city, and I am so grateful for the words of encouragement and celebration that my family and I have received.
What message would you like to share with teachers as they prepare for the upcoming term?
In November 2013, the foundation published the Global Teacher Status Index, the first attempt to compare attitudes towards teachers in 21 countries. The index found that there were significant differences between the statuses of teachers worldwide. The survey also found that in many countries, between a third and half of parents would“ probably” or“ definitely not” encourage their children to enter the teaching profession.
My message to teachers everywhere is hold your head high. Be proud of the amazing work you do every day to nurture young minds. Share best practice; support each other in lifting the status and acclaim of this great profession. Ask your school, your teachers and your local communities to get involved and nominate great teachers for the Global Teacher Prize. Use the Prize as it is intended: as a platform to share your inspiring stories with the world, because they really do deserve to be told. If you did not apply this year, please apply next year.
What is one fun thing about you that would surprise your colleagues?
This is a tough one as my colleagues know everything about me. No unusual hobbies or anything, but I like going out, going to dinner, I can’ t think of anything else off hand.
What is the best advice that you have received? How has this helped you?
The best advice comes from my boss Sunny Varkey. He always urges people to aim for the top, because nothing is impossible. In order to over achieve you have to set targets that stretch you, and sometimes you don’ t know what those are. The worst thing you can do, in my book, is not to try. As a leader, your job is to make sure you push the boundaries every day in order to benefit humanity.
Mr. Vikas Pota, CEO of the Varkey Foundation.