London, Feb 26:High-achieving schools in India are being invited to enter the USD 250,000 inaugural World’s Best School Prizes, launched by London-headquartered T4 Education in partnership with professional services major Accenture.
The new prize, launched this month, has been conceptualised to celebrate schools worldwide for the important role they play and for their enormous contribution to society’s progress, especially in the wake of the COVID pandemic.
It is aimed at creating a new platform to tell the stories of schools that are transforming the lives of their students and making a real difference to their communities.
“In India, where we have seen 650-odd days of disrupted education, and all around the world, schools and their teachers have been working tirelessly to keep students learning in the face of the greatest crisis global education has ever experienced,” said Shaheen Mistri, CEO of non-profit organisation Teach for India, who is part of the Judging Academy for the new prize.
“We must celebrate their achievements and learn from their innovative solutions to the challenges they’ve faced if we are to improve education in the wake of COVID. That’s why I’m calling on schools all over India and across the globe to apply for the new World’s Best School Prizes so their inspirational stories can be told,” she said.
The supporters of the prize believe it will enable inspirational schools from around the world to share best practices, help others replicate innovative ideas, and “democratise” school-based expertise to improve education.
“If there is one thing that the pandemic has taught us, it is that school has to be anywhere and everywhere,” said Safeena Husain, Founder of Educate Girls and another member of the Judging Academy.
“We know that there are some incredible schools across the world who are already reimagining their support to children and the World’s Best School Prizes are about learning from them to improve school for children everywhere,” she said.
There are five prize categories open for entries – The World’s Best School Prize for Community Collaboration, for Environmental Action, for Innovation, for Overcoming Adversity, and for Supporting Healthy Lives.
Vikas Pota, Founder of global education organisation T4 Education and the World’s Best School Prizes, said: “As the world seeks to rebuild from the devastation of the COVID pandemic, we must always remember the vital role our schools will play.”
Strong schools will not only equip the next generation to fulfil their full potential, but empower them to tackle the greatest challenges our societies face, from inequality to environmental destruction and rapid technological change, he said.
“We have launched the World’s Best School Prizes to bring to light the stories of schools that are building stronger societies, and give them a voice at the top table to help transform education so that every child can achieve the quality education that should be their right by birth,” Pota said.
A Top 10 shortlist for each prize category will be announced later this year, followed by a shortlist of three finalists for each prize. After a public advisory vote, the winner of each category will be chosen by the Judging Academy comprising distinguished leaders from around the world.
The winners of the inaugural World’s Best School Prizes will be announced in October 2022 during World Education Week, when the USD 250,000 prize money will be equally shared among the five winners at USD 50,000 each. (PTI)
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