Indian village teacher Ranjitsinh Disale, winner of the Global Teacher Prize 2020, congratulated the 2021 winner – teacher Keishia Thorpe – and welcomed her to the top table.
Thorpe, who opened up college education for low-income, first-generation American immigrant and refugee students, was named the winner of the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2021, in partnership with UNESCO recently. Now in its seventh year, the $1 million award is the largest prize of its kind.
Disale said: "My warmest congratulations to Keishia, who is such a deserving winner of this year's Global Teacher Prize. All previous winners will tell you the same thing: the greatest gift that the Global Teacher Prize provides is a seat at the top table, a real voice to make an impact in our community and far beyond.
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“I have used this incredible platform to continue being an advocate for girls' education and I know Keishia wants to use the prize to champion greater educational opportunities for students. I applaud her efforts, her dedication and her passion.”
French actress Isabelle Huppert announced Keishia as the winner of the Global Teacher Prize 2021 at a ceremony that took place at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris. This year’s ceremony was dedicated to Madam Mariamma Varkey, July 1931-March 2021, who inspired the Global Teacher Prize.
Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO, said: “UNESCO was proud host to this year’s Global Teacher Prize ceremony at our headquarters in Paris. Inspirational teachers and extraordinary students alike deserve recognition for their commitment to education amid the learning crisis we see today.
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“Now more than ever, we must honour and support our teachers and students as they look to rebuild a better world in the wake of Covid.”
Keishia Thorpe, an English teacher at International High School Langley Park, Bladensburg, Maryland, was selected from over 8,000 nominations and applications for this year’s Global Teacher Prize from 121 countries around the world.