Saudi teacher recognized for charitable efforts and advocacy for prisoners receives $1 million Global Teacher Prize

DUBAI, UAE — A Saudi educator celebrated for his philanthropic efforts and dedication to teaching prisoners has been awarded the prestigious Global Teacher Prize, receiving $1 million in recognition of his contributions. The award was presented to Mansour al-Mansour during the World Government Summit held in Dubai, an international gathering of global leaders.

Al-Mansour, who teaches at the Prince Saud bin Jalawi School in al-Ahsa, is not only a teacher but also an author. He has made significant contributions to his community, including a unique initiative that provided access to air conditioning maintenance during the extreme summer heat in Saudi Arabia. His commitment extends to working with orphans, and he expressed his aspiration to utilize the prize money to establish a school dedicated to them. “Typically, when people feel compassion for orphans, they tend to provide them with basic necessities like food and water,” he commented after receiving the accolade from Dubai’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Maktoum. “However, education remains a neglected area,” al-Mansour emphasized, noting that his research indicated that orphans often receive less educational support.

The award is conferred by the Varkey Foundation, an organization founded by Sunny Varkey who also established the for-profit GEMS Education, a network of schools operating in several countries including Egypt, Qatar, and the UAE. Al-Mansour stands out as the ninth recipient of this award, which the foundation has been granting since 2015, marking him as the first winner hailing from the Gulf Arab states.

In addition to his teaching, al-Mansour is involved in a “Life Skills” project that equips students with essential competencies such as communication, dialogue, and understanding financial matters. He detailed a significant initiative aimed at improving financial literacy among the underprivileged, stating that many students have successfully ventured into entrepreneurship as a result, with some even launching their own businesses.

His work also encompasses rehabilitating prisoners, offering them literacy education that has led to sentence reductions for several individuals who participated in his classes.

Previous recipients of the Global Teacher Prize have included a Kenyan educator renowned for donating a significant portion of his earnings to aid the less fortunate, a Palestinian primary school teacher advocating non-violence in her teachings, and a Canadian teacher active in an isolated Arctic community serving Inuit children.

GEMS Education, known as Global Education Management Systems, is among the largest private school operators worldwide and boasts a valuation in the billions. Its rise coincides with Dubai’s economic expansion, where private institutions are the primary educational providers for the children of expatriates who contribute to the city’s economy.

Looking ahead, GEMS has plans to open a new school targeting the children of affluent families moving to Dubai, a city characterized by its towering skyscrapers and vibrant economy. The Gems School of Research and Innovation is set to feature advanced facilities, including a robotics laboratory, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and a multi-purpose football pitch that converts into a helipad. Tuition fees at this new establishment are projected to range from $31,000 for pre-K and kindergarten students to $56,000 for those in their senior year of high school.