Top teacher wins $1m prize and gives half away

Top teacher’s lesson in generosity - 14th December 2020

Ranjitsinh Disale, a teacher from a village school in India, has been named the world's most exceptional teacher by the Global Teacher Prize, securing him $1 million. In an unexpected move and a first for the annual award, Mr Disale has already gifted half of his winnings to the teachers ranked as the competition’s 10 runners up.

In another first, UK teacher Jamie Frost took home a special ‘Covid Hero’ prize for his work running a free maths tuition website during this year's pandemic.

The Global Teacher Prize is an international award spotlighting educators who go the extra mile in their contribution to the teaching profession. Nominees from all over the world are shortlisted for their work advocating for inclusivity and for children’s rights, the integration of migrants into classrooms and nurturing ability and confidence in students.

Mr Disale, a teacher at Paritewadi's Zilla Parishad Primary School in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, was nominated for his work improving the life prospects of disadvantaged girls. Coming from deprived backgrounds, it is commonplace for their education to be neglected and to see them married off at a young age. Under Mr Disale's guidance, however, they attended class and thrived, with many attaining high results.

In addition to this, Mr Disale has made strides in the virtual classroom, delivering science lessons to pupils in 83 countries across the globe. As if that wasn't enough, he also oversees an international project which fosters connections between youth in war-torn regions. Following his win, he paid tribute to teachers around the world: "In this hard time, teachers are giving their best to make sure every student has access to their birth right of a good education.”

A sentiment he underlined by sharing the prize money with his peers.

Sunny Varkey, who heads the Varkey Foundation which oversees the prize, commended Mr Disale's generosity, remarking that, "by sharing the prize, you teach the world the importance of giving."