Teachers from Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Türkiye take home UNESCO's 2026 teacher prize

In Paris this week, three teacher-training initiatives were honored with the 2026 UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development, each receiving US$100,000 to expand their work. Gondar College of Teachers' Education in Ethiopia, the Guru Belajar Foundation in Indonesia, and the Teachers' Academy Foundation (ÖRAV) in Türkiye were recognized for approaches from learning through play to teacher peer collaboration. UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany said the prize shows how investing in teachers transforms education and strengthens whole societies. The awards were presented during UNESCO's World Teachers' Day celebration.