Regional winners for global Dedicated Teacher Awards announced

Cambridge University Press has announced six regional winners in the 2021 Dedicated Teacher Awards –a global competition to recognise and celebrate teachers all around the world.

For the first time, the Press has chosen regional winners out of a record-breaking 13,000 nominations from 112 countries. A public vote is now open to decide who wins the overall Dedicated Teacher Award. The vote will close on 7 May 2021 and the winner will be announced in mid-May.

The winners are: Peggy Pesik, Sekolah Buin Batu International School, Indonesia; Nonhlanhla Masina, from African School for Excellence, South Africa; Raminder Kaur Mac, Choithram School, India; Anna Murray, from British Council France; Annamma Lucy, from Our Own English High School Sharjah-Boys’ Branch, United Arab Emirates and Melissa Crosby from Frankfort High School, Kentucky, USA.

This year’s awards are particularly pertinent due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has highlighted the extraordinary efforts of teachers to continue their students’ learning, even when schools were closed.

Rod Smith, Managing Director for Education at Cambridge University Press, said: ‘At Cambridge, we want to join with people around the world to recognise and celebrate teachers who go above and beyond every day. All around the world teachers do fantastic work. They play a vital role in the lives of their students, and often make a difference without even knowing it. We believe that well-supported teachers are central to high quality pedagogy and the well-being of learners, and the Dedicated Teacher Awards are a way to say a well-deserved thank you.’

This year, the Press received 13,000 nominations from 112 countries – over double the amount of nominations compared to last year – each detailing an inspiring story about an extraordinary teacher. A panel of expert judges have selected their six regional winners from the shortlist, based on whether nominations met the awards criteria. Among the criteria, the judges looked at whether a teacher demonstrated innovative practices, provided fantastic pastoral care and prepared students for their futures beyond school.

The six winners have won a host of prizes, including class sets of books or digital resources. They will also feature on a thank you page at the front of every new Cambridge University Press Education textbook from May 2021and receive an invitation to the Cambridge Panel, an online community of specialists that help to shape the Press’s education publishing.