Nigerian teachers missing in final shortlist for N168m global prize

Kenyan teacher makes shortlist  

THE dwindling quality of teaching in the nation’s education system was again brought to fore, as the final 10 shortlist for the $1 million (N168m) Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize was announced with no mention of any Nigerian. 

  Before being narrowed down to 10, an initial shortlist of 50 teachers from over 5, 000 and 1, 300 nominations, and final applications from 127 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Kenya, Uganda, India, Afghanistan, Australia, Argentina, Mexico and Jordan, amongst others, had been released, with six Africans making the count. Teachers from Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Tanzania, Uganda and Madagascar were selected.

  However, a statement by the chief executive of the foundation, Vikas Pota, reveals that a teacher from Kenya who teaches at Bofa Primary School in Kilifi, Jacqueline Jumbe-Kahura, has emerged the only African in the top 10 final shortlist for the prize. 

  Jumbe-Kahura, according to organisers, teaches in rural primary schools with an approach based on interactivity and learning in small groups. She also runs initiatives that provide support to pupils and teachers in her community, ranging from the provision of uniforms and sanitary facilities to HIV-related coaching and job-readiness training.

  Others on the list include Azizullah Royesh (Marefat High School, Kabul, Afghanistan), Kiran Bir Sethi (The Riverside School, Ahmedabad, India); Guy Etienne (College Catts Pressoir, Port-au-Prince, Haiti); Nancie Atwell, (The Center for Teaching and Learning, Southport, Maine, USA); and Naomi Volain (Springfield Central High School, Springfield, Massachusetts, USA).

  The shortlist also includes Phalla Neang (Phnom Penh Thmey, Phnom Penh, Cambodia); Madenjit Singh (Science of Life Studies 247, Dili, Timor Leste, Malaysia); Richard Spencer (Middlesbrough College, Billingham, United Kingdom) and Stephen Ritz (Public School 55, Bronx, New York, USA).

  Widely referred to as the “Nobel Prize for Teaching,” the prize was instituted by United Kingdom-based Varkey GEMS Foundation to reward teachers for their achievements and enormous impact on people across the world.

  Jumbe-Kahura, along with the other nine finalists, will be flown to Dubai for an award ceremony holding on Sunday, March 15 at the Global Education and Skills Forum. The winner would be presented the prize by founder of the foundation, Sunny Varkey, in front of education ministers, international education experts and global business leaders.

   Organisers say the winning teacher will be chosen from the 10 finalists by a global academy made up of prominent individuals, including academy award winning actor, Kevin Spacey; social activist Geoffrey Canada; entrepreneur Baroness Martha Lane Fox; Deputy Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Carina Wong; CEO Teach for all, Wendy Kopp; Founder of Teach first, Brett Wigdortz; Grammy award winning musician, Esperanza Spalding; Nigerian businessman, Jubril Adewale Tinubu; and Vice-Principal, Tsinghua International School, China.

  Since its launch in March last year, the prize has received immense global support, including public backing from world leaders and Education Ministers from around the world.