A Kenyan maths and physics teacher who gives away 80 per cent of his monthly income to help the poor has won the $1 million Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize for 2019.
Peter Tabichi, who teaches at Keriko Secondary School in Pwani Village, Nakuru, received award at today’s glittering ceremony in Dubai, hosted by Hollywood superstar Hugh Jackman.
The 36-year-old teaches in a remote, semi-arid part of Kenya’s Rift Valley, where 95 per cent of pupils come from poor families, almost a third are orphans or have only one parent, and many go without food at home.
Drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, dropping out early from school, young marriages and suicide are common.
He started a talent nurturing club and expanded the school’s science club, helping pupils design research projects of such quality that 60 per cent now qualify for national competitions.
He and four colleagues also give low-achieving pupils one-to-one tuition in maths and science outside class and on the weekends, where Mr Tachibi visits students’ homes and meets their families to identify the challenges they face.
Mr Tabichi said: “Thank you so much. I didn’t expect this. It is a great surprise not just for me, not just for Kenya, not just for Africa but for the whole world.”
The winner, who is from a family of teachers and whose father, a primary teacher, was in Dubai to see him presented with award, continued: “This shows that teachers matter and teaching is an honourable profession.”
Jackman started the ceremony by appearing in a pre-recorded video introducing the 10 finalists, and apologising that he couldn’t attend.
Then, with a hesitation and look at his watch, he burst onto the stage in real life, performing two show-stopping song and dance routines, before paying generous tribute to teachers everywhere.
“In my life teachers have made a massive difference. All of us can go through the motions it only takes one teacher to bring you back to life,” he said.
“There is no job that is more important... Teachers encourage you, they cajole you they pick you off the floor when you can’t get up.”
And then he greeted each nominee on stage, paying generous tribute to each.
He told British nominee Andrew Moffat: “You teach kids to be proud of where they come from, at the same time to be tolerant and to be accepting of people who may look different, may believe in different things and who may come from different places.”
Part of the ceremony, which was also attended by the Earl of Wessex, included a video message from Andrew Lloyd Webber, who paid tribute to teachers all over the world and emphasised the importance of music education.
Lord Lloyd-Webber said: “Teachers deserve far more praise than they often receive.
“Today, as I fear we all know, education is under threat all over the world from funding shortages, lack of resources, and importantly, too few teachers.
“This is particularly true in the case of music education, where many young people lack access to instruments, tuition and opportunities to perform.”
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