Yatharth Sikka
Ranjitsinh Disale, 32 a primary school teacher from Paritewadi village- Solapur district, Maharashtra won Global Teacher Prize 2020 for his efforts to promote girl education and trigger a quick-response (QR) coded textbook revolution in India.
He was announced the winner from 10 finalists from across the world for the annual prize founded by the Varkey Foundation in 2014 to recognise an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession.
He was honoured for having “transformed the life chances” of girls at the Zilla Parishad Primary School in Paritewadi, in Maharashtra state, prize organizers said.
Most of the girls are from poor tribal communities.
He started teaching at the school in 2009, when it was in a rundown building next to a cattle shed.
According to Varkey Foundation when he joined the school the student’s attendance was low and teenage marriage was a common problem.
The curriculum was not even in the girls` main language, Kannada. Ranjitsinh Disale, learned the language and translated the class textbooks. He also introduced digital learning tools and came up with personalized programmes for each student. His system of QR Coded Textbooks is now used across India.
Now the school attendance is 100 per cent, and one girl from the village has graduated from university.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has exposed education and the communities it serves in a multitude of ways. But in this hard time, teachers are giving their best to make sure every student has access to their birthright of a good education, said Ranjitsinh Disale.
He further added “Teachers are the real change-makers who are changing the lives of their students with a mixture of chalk and challenges. They always believe in giving and sharing. And, therefore, I am very pleased to announce that I will share 50% of the prize money equally among my fellow top 10 finalists to support their incredible work. I believe, together, we can change this world because sharing is growing.”
Maharashtra Governor, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, also congratulated him. Taking to Twitter Bhagat singh Koshyari wrote “Convey my heartiest greetings and felicitations to Shri Ranjitsinh Disale, teacher from ZP school in Paritewadi, Solapur district on being chosen for the coveted $ 1 million Global Teacher Prize 2020, which is awarded by the London-based Varkey Foundation.”
While giving thanks speech Ranjitsinh Disale immediately announced that he will be sharing 50 per cent of his prize money with his fellow finalists to support their ‘incredible work’.
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