Peter Tabichi, a Maths and Physics teacher at Keriko Secondary School in Pwani Village Nakuru, and Maina Gioko, a Physics, Design Technology and World Studies teacher at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa Kenya, have been included in the top 50 shortlist for the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2019.
The teachers shortlisted for the Global Teacher Prize 2019 were selected from over 10,000 nominations and applications from 179 countries around the world. Now in its fifth year, the US$1 million award is the largest prize of its kind.
Separate to this, there have also been tens of thousands of applications this year for the 33 national Teacher Prizes that have been inspired by the Global Teacher Prize, since its launch five years ago. The winners of each National Teacher Prize were also put forward for consideration when the top 50 shortlist was decided. The Global Teacher Prize was set up to recognize one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to shine a spotlight on the important role teachers play in society. By unearthing thousands of stories of heroes that have transformed young people’s lives, the prize hopes to bring to life the exceptional work of millions of teachers all over the world.
Peter Tabichi is a Franciscan Brother of the Catholic Church and from a family of teachers, so he chose to dedicate himself to teaching full time, donating 80% of his monthly income to assist the needy through the Franciscan Brothers. His remote school in a semi-arid and impoverished area of the Rift Valley region is poorly resourced and dominated by students from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. He has canvassed for donations to equip the school laboratory, boosted the self-esteem of students by launching a Talent Nurturing Club, a Peace Club for debating and strengthening the school Science Club. Now many of their projects qualify for national competitions and the Mathematical Science team has qualified to participate at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2019 in Arizona. At the Kenya Science and Engineering Fair (KSEF) 2018, his school emerged as the best public school in the country.
Due to public recognition, the school enrollment has increased from 200 in 2015 to 400 this year, and 26 students have gone on to universities and colleges in 2018. Peter integrates ICT into 80% of his lessons, along with science quizzes, low-cost apparatus and fosters collaboration by incorporating peer-to-peer learning with students identifying topics, generating questions and working in teams. He overcomes low Internet connectivity at his school by visiting cyber cafes in the nearby town and then downloads digital content including YouTube clips which can then be used in class. Students struggling at the bottom of a class get extra tuition from Peter and his colleagues and weekend home visits. His work has won several awards and recognition from teaching and science organizations in Kenya.
Maina Gioko works at a high school where he has the flexibility to enrich the curriculum and teach in a way connected to students’ experiences of life and is able to put this practical element of learning first, along with applied scientific knowledge to the wider community. Every year he and his students conduct a deworming exercise in an area of poverty, combining this with community education on hygiene and environment care. It is also a scientific learning opportunity for the class, as they have been able to monitor the level of wellness and the quality of water in the area, linking this back to their studies. Another piece of practical orientation comes from his lessons on energy usage, where he was able to influence his students to engage their parents in evaluating the energy consumption in their homes, which led to some families changing to energy-saving bulbs and movement sensor or timer-controlled security lights.
The results and popularity of Maina’s teaching have seen students taking his work/study projects grow tenfold over the last five years: having begun with two students out of a class of 30, Maina now has 25 students out of a class of 65. His school has been recognized as a Microsoft showcase school, partly due to his influence and class practice and student projects have been recognized by the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Project Zero, resulting in Maina being invited for a fellowship there. He frequently broadcasts about educational issues on local radio, has been a keynote speaker at six Kenya Primary Headteacher Association conferences and is a Microsoft Innovative Educator, plus a runner-up in the Innovative Content category of the Microsoft Teacher Awards.
The top 50 shortlist has representatives from 39 countries and by highlighting their stories the Varkey Foundation hopes that the public will be able to join in passionate debates about the importance of teachers. The winner will be announced at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai on Sunday 24 March 2019.
Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation and the Global Teacher Prize, said:
“Congratulations to Peter and Maina for reaching the final 50. I hope their stories inspire those looking to enter the teaching profession and highlights the incredible work teachers do all over the world every day.
“Our recent Global Teacher Status Index finally gives academic proof to something that we’ve always instinctively known: the link between the status of teachers in society and the performance of children in school. Now we can say beyond doubt that respecting teachers isn’t only an important moral duty – it’s essential for a country’s educational outcomes. We’re also delighted that the Global Teacher Prize, since its launch five years ago, has now inspired over 30 national teacher prizes, which means our ultimate goal of shining a light on great teachers has grown strong national roots, something which is crucial if we’re to return teachers to their rightful position as one of the most respected professions in society.”
The top 50 shortlisted teachers are narrowed down to ten finalist teachers by a Prize Committee, with that result announced in February 2019. The winner will then be chosen from these ten finalists by the Global Teacher Prize Academy. All ten finalists will be invited to Dubai for the Award ceremony at the Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF) on Sunday 24 March next year, where the winner will be announced live on stage.
