Muslim Kiswahili teacher shortlisted for Sh100m global award

Abdikadir Ismail a Kenyan teacher who has been shortlisted in the top 50 teachers global award. ( Courtesy)

By Hibaq Ahmed

GARISSA—Abdikadir Ismail, a History and Kiswahili teacher at Mwangaza Muslim mixed day school at Maralal in Samburu county, has been shortlisted to be in the top list for the global teacher prize 2018.

He made it above tens of thousands of other teachers in a competition of more than 30,000 nominations and applications from 173 countries around the world.

The global teacher prize was organized to commend one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession.

“Honestly to say that I am excited will be an understatement. When my colleague from Microsoft asked me to apply for this, I just texted him back to thank him for thinking highly of me, but I laughed at it. I just didn’t know…I am extremely elated to have made it among the Top 50,” Ismail said.

The top 50 shortlisted representatives are from 33 countries.

“Congratulations to Abdikadir Ismail for reaching the final 50. I hope his story inspires those looking to enter the teaching profession and shines a spotlight on the incredible work teachers do all over the world every day,” said Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation and the Global Teacher Prize.

“We intend to keep this momentum going as our journey continues to return teachers to their rightful position as one of the most respected professions in society,” he added.

The top 50 shortlisted teachers are minimised to ten finalist teachers by a Prize Committee.The result are to be announced on February 2018.

The winner will then be chosen from these ten finalists by the Global Teacher Prize Academy.

All ten finalists will be invited to Dubai for the Award ceremony at the Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF) where the winner will be announced live on stage, on Sunday 18 March next year.

On completion of university education, Ismail returned to teach in Baragoi a danger zone in the books of history over high murder rate coupled with endless cattle rustling.

In his career, he has also shown passion for technology in teaching and learning.

With no science lab at his school he sent teachers to schools with those facilities who in turn filmed their practical experiments.