THE DEPARTMENT of Education lauded two public school teachers and a student-journalist for making it to the Top 50 of the Global Teacher and Student Prize 2021.

“Our teachers and learners are really our treasure for their innovations and passion, even amidst the pandemic. These recognitions for them inspire us at DepEd to continuously support their careers and dreams,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said.

Shortlisted from over 8,000 nominations around the world, Bryant Acar from Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu and Michelle Rubio from Sorsogon City earned a place in the Top 50 of the Global Teacher Prize, a prestigious awards body that recognizes the efforts of teachers and their impacts not only inside the classroom but also in their communities.

The winner of the Global Teacher Prize will receive $1 million in prize.

Acar, who teaches at the Science and Technology Education Center – Senior High School, not only helped his students tread the difficulties of online learning during the pandemic but also provided opportunities for his students to be scientists.

Traveling 16 kilometers a day just to attend his class, Acar built a make-shift laboratory in his school and trained students who shone in different national and international science competitions.

“The essence of a teacher is to guide, motivate, inspire and transform students so they can be a better version of themselves. We are in dire need to produce students who are not only competent but persons with character. Teaching creates a gold mine of other professions in the world and this is a gargantuan task we must strive to achieve,” Acar said.

Rubio, who teaches at the Calao Elementary School created a “Techno-classhome” and turned her car into a “Reading Car” where she would take reading lessons and broadcast them on Facebook.

She also pioneered “Resort for Learning,” where an area of the school is transformed via beach decorations and a mini library with an internet connection to support distance learning.

“To all the teachers out there, continue innovating and doing extraordinary things that would help our learners cope with this pandemic. Never be discouraged. Look at the positive side of every situation and use it as our stepping stones to continue doing our mission as educators. Our learners need us to give hope for their future,” Rubio shared.

Meanwhile, Ancelmo Catalla, a Senior High School student of the Quezon Science High School, also joined the Top 50 finalists out of 3,500 nominations across 94 countries.

Ancelmo is the editor-in-chief of his school’s official student paper, The Velocity, and a budding social entrepreneur. If he wins the $100,000 prize, he plans to use it to build mini-libraries for remote public schools.

“Honestly, it is very taxing to keep being excellent amidst the Covid19 pandemic. But as a scholar of the people, I have to serve –and part of my service is to keep learning so that the taxes that the people pay do not go to waste. What keeps me going is knowing the fact that I have to study not just for me and my family, but also for the community,” Ancelmo said.

The selection committee  or the “Prize Judges” will select 10 finalists out of the 50 in October 2021. From there, one winner per category will be chosen. The announcement and awarding of the winners will be in November this year.