London: A global education foundation has called upon Indian teachers to enter the USD 1 million Global Teacher Prize to be presented to an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession.
Kerala-born entrepreneur Sunny Varkey, founder of the Dubai-based Varkey GEMS Foundation, launched the prize at the Global Education & Skills Forum 2014 to draw attention to the achievements of teachers.
"This prize is not just about money. It's about unearthing thousands of stories of courage and inspiration. We want to inspire children from far-flung villages, towns and cities around the world to say 'I want that prize'," said Varkey, a UNESCO goodwill ambassador and Padma Shri recipient. The winner will be chosen by the Global Teacher Prize Academy panel, which includes Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey.
He said: "When I was starting out, I was inspired by an older, more experienced actor, who told me that he thought I ought to go into acting professionally. That's the kind of mentoring and personal support that every young person needs to realise their potential".
"It's the kind of encouragement and guidance that good teachers give to their pupils every day. And that is why I support the Varkey GEMS Foundation's Global Teacher Prize," he added.
Former US President Bill Clinton, honorary chairman of the Varkey GEMS Foundation said: "Attracting the best people to teaching, developing and supporting their skills, and holding our teachers in high regard - all are critically important to achieve excellence, both in teaching and learning.
Any member of the public can nominate a teacher or teachers can apply themselves by filing applications online.
The closing date for entries is October 5 and the winner will be announced at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai in March 2015.
The winner will be paid the prize money in equal installments over 10 years, and the Varkey GEMS Foundation will provide the winner with financial counselling.
Without compromising their work in the classroom, the winner will be asked to serve as a global ambassador for the Varkey GEMS Foundation, attending public events and speaking in public forums about improving the prestige of the teaching profession.
A condition of winning the prize is that the winner remains as a classroom teacher for at least five years. PriceWaterhouseCooper (PwC) will be responsible for ensuring that the balloting process is fair and accurate.
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