UNESCO invites applications from teachers and organisations for the prestigious Hamdan Bin-Rashid Al-Maktoum teaching award

Teacher and educational organizations aspiring for some recognition have something to look forward to. The UNESCO headquarters in Paris has invited nominations for 2019-20, UNESCO Hamdan Bin-Rashid Al-Maktoum award for the effectiveness of teachers. Indian teachers and organisations related to teaching who wish to contest have to send their nominations to Indian National Commission for Co-operation with UNESCO by 01 October 2019. The prize is awarded every two years. It is funded by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates. An amount of US $300,000 is set aside for the award every year, which is equally divided between three winners whose projects aim at improving worldwide the performance and effectiveness of teachers. [caption id=“attachment_4964981” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representative image.[/caption] A five jury bench comprised of distinguished professionals chosen for their high-level of knowledge and experience in teacher-related issues select the winners. The prize will be awarded for the sixth time at a ceremony that will take place during World Teachers’ Day celebrations at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 5 October 2020. Who is eligible? a) Candidates may be individuals representing institutions or organisations, international or national government or non-governmental organisations (NGOs); educational or research institutions and local /national/ regional communities. b) Applications are not open to individuals who are not affiliated with any organization. What is a nominating body? a) Nominating bodies may be governments of Member States, in consultation with their national Commissions and non-governmental organisations maintaining official partnerships with UNESCO. b) A nominating body may nominate and recommend up to 5 candidates for the prize. How to apply? a) Application for the award can be submitted in two ways. A candidate can ask a nominating body to send its application to UNESCO or a nominating body may initiate the process of nominating a candidate and send the application to UNESCO. b) A candidate can be nominated by no more than one nominating body. c) Applications must be written either in English or French. d) Unsolicited applications are not taken into consideration. Moreover, self-nominations would also not be considered. Selection Process a) Applications received before the deadline are reviewed by the screening panel who will eliminate non-eligible candidates and transmit accepted applications to the International Jury of the Prize. b) The International Jury meets in Dubai to select prize winners. C) Prizes are awarded to winners during an official ceremony organized at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on the occasion of World Teacher’s day The application must contain: a) The nomination form filled by the nominating body (using appropriate form). b) The application form completed by the candidate (using the appropriate form). c) Accompanying/ supporting materials (English or French). Who is Sheikh Hamdan Bin-Rashid Al-Maktoum Hamdan Bin-Rashid Al-Maktoum is the Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the Minister of Finance and Industry of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He is the second son of the late ruler Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum (1912–1990, r. 1958–1990). He is known for his philanthropic acts. Apart from being a patron of the ‘Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Prize for Outstanding Practice and Performance in Enhancing the Effectiveness of Teachers’, he is also the benefactor and the Patron of the ‘Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Award for Medical Excellence’. Where to send applications Indian contestants can send their nominations to the address mentioned below: Mrs Bina J. Toppo Section officer Ministry of Human Resource Development Room No. 203 ‘C’ Wing Dr Rajendra Prasad Road Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-110001 Contact No. Tel: 011-23384442 E-mail:inc.edu@nic.in