Another Kenyan Teacher Shortlisted for Sh100 Million Global Teacher Award
A Kenyan teacher has made it to the top 50 shortlist for $1 million (Sh100 million) Global Teacher Prize that was won by another Kenyan last year.
Ms. Linah Anyango, who teaches Biology and Chemistry at Changamwe Secondary School in Mombasa was named in the top 50 shortlist for the prestigious Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2020.
The 50 were selected from a list of over 12,000 nominations and applications from more than 140 countries around the world.
Launched six years ago, the $1,000,000 Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize is the largest prize of its kind in the world.
The 2019 edition was won by Brother Peter Tabichi, a 36-year-old Maths and Physics teacher at Keriko Secondary School in Nakuru.
“I am so proud that a Kenyan teacher has been shortlisted for the Global Teacher Prize 2020. Winning the prize last year was such an honor, but more than that it was a tremendous platform to help me promote STEM learning among young people in Africa. Linah Anyango is doing just that in the incredible work she does every day and I wish her all the best this year,” Tabichi said on Thursday.
Anyango started a cultural music club at Changamwe Secondary which has enabled students to open up, share and appreciate each other’s culture and diversity, thus promoting peace among them and reducing radicalization.
She also founded a Girls STEM club to inspire them to take up STEM courses and careers after high school. She trained them on coding and web development.
As a result, 22 girls took up Physics subject in 2019 down from zero in 2017. This made the girls gain the courage to take part in various STEM competitions.
Last year, her school had two girl’s teams in the National Science Fair with one emerging the best nationally and was selected to represent the country in the ESKOM Fair in South Africa.
In addition, Anyango trained 200 teachers from nearby schools on ICT Infusion with Microsoft selecting her as a Microsoft Educator Expert and Trainer.
The winner of the award will be announced at the Natural History Museum in London on October 12th, 2020.