Pakistani teacher makes it to Cambridge University's final list of Dedicated Teacher Awards 2019

Published January 26, 2019
Ahmed Saya, a teacher at Cordoba School for A-level in Karachi, was named one of six finalists. — Photo taken from Facebook
Ahmed Saya, a teacher at Cordoba School for A-level in Karachi, was named one of six finalists. — Photo taken from Facebook

A Pakistani teacher has made it to the final list of the Dedicated Teacher Awards 2019, a competition announced by world-renowned Cambridge University's publishing business, Cambridge University Press.

"It was a tough decision for the judges but they have now decided on the six finalists for the Dedicated Teacher Awards 2019," read a tweet by Cambridge Education.

Pakistani teacher Ahmed Saya, who teaches at Cordoba School for A-level in Karachi, has been selected as one of the six finalists on the voting page, where stories of the final winners have been featured.

The following is the entry for Saya:

"He’ll always be ready to spare his weekends whenever a student needs his help, be it academically or anything personal. I have seen him when CAIEs approach, he spends sleepless nights, conducting extra classes, catering each and every student’s problem so that each one excels. I have never seen someone who checks your homework every day in a class of 100 students just to ensure that each and everyone is on track. He actually deserves this for working so hard to ensure that his students are good humans."

Other contests include:

  1. Abhinandan Bhattacharya, JBCN International School: Oshiwara, India
  2. Anthony Chelliah, Gateway College, Sri Lanka
  3. Candice Green, St Augustine’s College, Australia
  4. Jimrey Dapin, University of San Jose-Recoletos, Philippines
  5. Sharon Kong Foong, Sunway College, Malaysia

According to the details provided by the Cambridge University Press website, students from all over the world were invited from October-December 2018 to send in their nominations for who they consider the most dedicated teacher.

"Despite the amazing job that teachers do every day, there are surprisingly few opportunities to say thank you. From October-December 2018, we invited students, teachers or anyone with an inspiring teacher story to share it with us so we could say thank you together. This year, we’ll be showcasing amazing teachers and expressing our appreciation inside our new books," says the landing page describing the inspiration behind the award.

The six winning finalists, which were chosen by a panel of educational experts, will all win multiple prizes plus promotion from Cambridge University Press for themselves and their school, according to the Cambridge University website.

Their evaluation was done based on the following factors:

  • Going ‘beyond the classroom’ – whether it’s giving up spare time, own money or resources
  • Fantastic pastoral care – showing empathy, care, and personal support
  • Making the ordinary, extraordinary – innovative lesson ideas and practices
  • Opening up the world – preparing students for their futures beyond school

Voting will remain open till January 27. The lucky winner will get an all-expense paid trip to Cambridge and share their knowledge at Cambridge University's 2019 conference.

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

ALTHOUGH dealing with the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan is a major political, security and strategic...
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...