In News:

Rouble Nagi, an Indian educator and social innovator, has been awarded the Global Teacher Prize 2026 at the World Government Summit in Dubai. She received the USD 1 million prize in the 10th edition of the award, presented by GEMS Education and organised by the Varkey Foundation in collaboration with UNESCO.

About the Global Teacher Prize

• Established: 2014
• Nature: Annual international award, often called the “Nobel Prize of Teaching”
• Objective: To recognise exceptional teachers who make transformative contributions to education and society
• Eligibility: Open to teachers worldwide across public, private, and alternative educational settings
• Selection Criteria: Innovative pedagogy, classroom impact, community engagement, work in challenging environments
• Nomination: Self-nomination or nomination by others
• Award: USD 1 million cash prize

Why Rouble Nagi Was Honoured

• Over two decades, she has used art as an educational tool to reach marginalised children.
• Founded the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, establishing 800+ learning centres across 100+ underserved communities and villages in India.
• Concept of “living walls of learning”: transforming abandoned walls into open-air classrooms teaching literacy, numeracy, public health, and environmental awareness.
• Helped integrate over 1 million out-of-school children into formal education.
• Trained 600+ teachers and volunteers, creating a scalable and community-driven education model.
• Achieved over 50% reduction in school dropout rates and improved long-term educational retention.
• Selected from 5,000+ nominations and applications spanning 139 countries.

Future Use of Prize Money

• Establishment of a free vocational and digital literacy institute aimed at improving life opportunities for underprivileged children and youth.