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British teacher Andria
Zafirakou (L) receives the "Global Teacher Prize" from Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE
and Ruler of Dubai during an award ceremony in Dubai on March 18, 2018
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Briton Andria Zafirakou, who works in a school in
one of the UK's poorest areas, on Sunday won the US$1 million Global Teacher
Prize for 2018 at a star-studded ceremony in Dubai.
The arts and textiles teacher from the Alperton
Community College of Brent, an inner-city school in London, was among 10
finalists from around the globe for the annual award. Thirty thousand
candidates were in the running.
Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum
and British Prime Minister Theresa May were among the first to congratulate
her. "Congratulations to Andria Zafirakou for
having won the Global Teacher award," tweeted Sheikh Mohammed after
handing her the prize. He said teaching "is the greatest job"
ever, and described teachers as "stars".
May, in a video message broadcast at the gala event,
said: "Being a great teacher requires resilience, ingenuity, and a
generous heart. These are the qualities that you share with your students
everyday.
"So thank you for all you have done and
continue to do."
Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton raced to the
venue to deliver the trophy while South African comedian Trevor Noah hosted the
event which included a performance by Oscar-winning actress and Grammy award
winning singer Jennifer Hudson.
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British Formula One
driver for Mercedes' AMG Petronas team Lewis Hamilton arrives with the
"Global Teacher Prize" trophy for the awards ceremony in Dubai on
March 18, 2018
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Brent, where Zafirakou teaches, is considered an
ethnically diverse and disadvantaged area and many of her students come from
impoverished homes.
The area is also rife with gang violence and
Zafirakou faced "a daunting task when she joined the school", the organizers
said in a statement. "But throughout the school and on the
streets she is driving change" working "closely with the police to
identify potential issues and (gang) recruiters."
She redesigned the school's curriculum "to
resonate with an ethnically diverse student body" and learnt the basics of
some of the 35 languages spoken at the school to communicate with parents and
students.
Zafirakou also "reworked the school's
timetable to allow girls-only sport, important in a conservative community. The
result? A cup-winning girls' cricket team," the statement said. Her hard work paid and placed Alperton Community
College "in the top five percent in England and Wales for improving
pupils' achievement".
The Dubai-based Varkey Foundation organized the
event, the fourth time it has handed out the prize for best teacher. The winner will walk away with US$1 million which will be paid in equal instalments over 10 years on one condition — she continues teaching for at least five years
Originally published on DAILY MAIL UK
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