Pakistani teacher wins Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Award

Uzma Siraj from the Future World School has been named the regional winner of the 2023 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards for the Middle East and North Africa.

Run by the Cambridge University Press, the Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards is a global competition which celebrates the efforts of teachers around the world. This year, the competition received over 11,000 nominations from 99 countries with an increase of over 30 per cent compared to the last year’s nominations.

The global competition gave students, parents and other teachers the chance to nominate a current primary or secondary teacher for something wonderful they had done. This year, Uzma Siraj was named the regional winner in Pakistan for supporting her students and promoting charity work through organising a flood-relief drive.

Speaking on her win, she said: “I’ve always had a passion for teaching and helping those in need – whether that be supporting students with day-to-day tasks or providing external pick up and drop off services. To inspire students, we need to ensure they are learning in a safe and comfortable environment best suited to developing their skills. I’m incredibly proud of my students and this recognition of the care I put into my classroom activities and beyond.”

Matthew Walker, publishing director for education at the Cambridge University Press, said the achievements of the 2023 regional winners spoke volumes for the value of teachers' roles and the positive impact they had on students.

As a regional winner of the 2023 Cambridge Dedicated Teachers Awards, Uzma would receive books or digital resources worth £500 along with a trophy.

She will also feature on a ‘thank you’ page in new Cambridge University Press Education textbooks from February 2024. The public can now vote for their favourite teacher out of the six regional winners for the overall winner who would be announced on June 6.