Indian Educator Rubel Nagi Wins $1 Million Global Teacher Prize for Teaching Children in Slums

Kathmandu. Educational and social worker Rubel Nagi, who established hundreds of learning centers in India and created educational murals on the walls of slums, won the $1 million Global Teacher Prize on Thursday. Nagi accepted the award at the World Government Summit in Dubai.

This annual event attracts leaders from around the world. Through the Nagi Art Foundation, she has established over 800 learning centers across India, where children who have never attended school can receive structured education, and children already in school are also taught.

Nagi creates murals that teach subjects including literacy, science, mathematics, and history. This enhances children's education and creative capacity. She plans to use the $1 million prize money to build an institute that will provide free vocational training.

The Global Teacher Prize is awarded by the Varkey Foundation. Its founder, Sunny Varkey, established GEMS Education, a for-profit company that operates dozens of schools in Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. This award has been presented since 2015, and Nagi is its 10th recipient.

Past winners include a Kenyan teacher from a remote village, a Palestinian primary school teacher, a Canadian teacher, and Saudi teacher Mansour Al-Mansour. They have been teaching their students social service, non-violence, and working with the poor.

GEMS Education, or Global Education Management System, is one of the world's largest private school operators and is valued in the billions. Its success is largely based on its ability to provide classes to expatriate children through private schools, especially in Dubai, which has a significant impact on the local economy.