SPARK Soweto, an independent kindergarten and primary school in Johannesburg, South Africa, which has become a catalyst for change for its disadvantaged community that was once symbolic of the struggle against Apartheid, was today named winner of the World’s Best School Prize for Community Collaboration 2023. The five World’s Best School Prizes, founded last year by T4 Education in collaboration with Accenture, American Express, and the Lemann Foundation, are the world’s most prestigious education prizes and this year’s winners share an award of $250,000.
At the same time, Institución Educativa Municipal Montessori sede San Francisco in Colombia won the World’s Best School Prize for Environmental Action. The Riverside School in India won the World’s Best School Prize for Innovation. The Max Rayne Hand in Hand Jerusalem School won the World’s Best School Prize for Overcoming Adversity. And EEMTI Joaquim Bastos Gonçalves in Brazil won the World’s Best School Prize for Supporting Healthy Lives. The winners were chosen by an expert Judging Academy.
In addition, a new Community Choice Award was presented this year to Escola Municipal Professor Edson Pisani in Brazil after it won the most votes of all the World’s Best School Prizes finalists in a Public Vote. It will now receive membership to T4 Education’s new Best School to Work programme, an independent, evidence-based mechanism to certify schools for their culture and help them transform their working environment to attract and retain the best teachers.
Vikas Pota, Founder of T4 Education and the World’s Best School Prizes, said:
“My deepest congratulations to SPARK Soweto in South Africa. Educators across the world should look to the shining example of your school in the difference you have made to so many lives. And governments must look to the trailblazing work you have done as they seek answers to the great challenges we face today. Where you lead, they must follow.
“This tremendous moment has been made possible by the leadership, vision and culture your school has fostered and it brings me great pride to bestow upon you the World’s Best School Prize for Community Collaboration 2023.”
