Ten teacher-development projects, from a national peer-learning system in Brunei to school-based resilience work in Palestine, have been shortlisted for the ninth UNESCO–Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development, the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences announced on 1 October.

The three winners will be revealed on 5 October at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris during the global World Teachers’ Day celebration.

H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum, Supreme President of the Foundation, is due to attend.

Record participation

This edition drew 169 applications from 64 countries, the highest number since the Prize began. Of these, 129 met the eligibility criteria.

Fifteen countries took part for the first time, and overall participation rose 66 per cent.

The ceremony coincides with the 60th anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.

The Paris event will bring together ministers, international organizations, education experts and teachers to discuss the status of the profession and how to strengthen recognition and support for educators.

H.E. Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi, the Foundation’s Executive Director, said the shortlisted projects reflect “a remarkable diversity of experiences and practices” responding to teachers’ needs in different cultural contexts.

He added that the timing underlines the importance of investing in teachers’ professional development and status as a foundation for better education quality.

The finalists

• Brunei Darussalam: The Ministry of Education’s “Teachers Teaching Teachers” collaborative learning system has recorded 33,596 course participation among 6,700 teachers.
• Ethiopia: Gondar College of Teachers’ Education’s “Maker-Teachers” project uses low-cost, culturally appropriate play-based materials in early childhood teaching. It has reached 98 cluster schools and more than 15,000 pre-primary learners.
• India: The Language and Learning Foundation’s “NEEV Multilingual Education Programme” brings indigenous languages into classrooms in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district. It has trained more than 2,000 teachers.
• Indonesia: The Guru Belajar Foundation’s “Collective Teacher Leadership Development Programme” has engaged 61,717 teachers across 91 districts and cities.
• Mexico: Fundación Tarahumara José A. Llaguno’s programme supports secondary teachers in indigenous rural communities. It has trained 230 teachers.
• Palestine: A school-based resilience model led by the principal of Waleed Abu Mweis Basic Boys’ School supports teachers’ development and learning continuity during prolonged crisis. It has benefited 29 teachers and more than 500 learners.
• Türkiye (two finalists): The Teachers’ Academy Foundation’s ÖRAV Education Festival has involved more than 38,000 teachers over ten years. The Rural Schools Transformation Network (KODA) runs “Teacher Communities” in cycles of six meetings, combining socio-emotional learning and reflective practice in rural and marginalised settings.
• Uganda: The Kimanya-Ngeyo Foundation’s “Learning to Learn” programme uses a cascading model to promote teacher autonomy and inquiry-driven practice. It has reached 2,500 teachers across three districts.
• Ukraine: EdCamp Ukraine’s “EdCamp-in-a-box” programme has held 374 events and reached about 50,000 educators.

About the Prize

Established in 2008, the Prize supports initiatives that improve teaching and learning in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education. It is awarded every two years and carries a total value of US$300,000, shared equally among three winning organizations.