World's 'best' teacher to receive $1m cash prize

Next year, a competition that aims to find the best teacher in the world will be launched. The winner will receive £620,000.

16:17 30 October 2013

Varkey Gems Foundation and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirates vice-president and ruler of Dubai has announced a competition that will be launched next year with the aim to find the best teacher in the world. The winner will receive £620,000.

Details of the competition are expected to be revealed early next year with nominations to be opened at the Global Education and Skills Forum in March.

Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey GEMS Foundation, said: "We want to promote teachers as stars and to support the quality of education to highlight the enormous impact teachers have on our lives.”

"To support education is to support human progress and valuing teachers is to value the real agents of change in society," said Sheikh Al Maktoum.

Meanwhile, it was revealed that panel of judges will include "former leaders from around the world and prominent members of the community" together with students and education experts.