Adeola Olufunke Akinsulure, a Biology teacher at Omole Senior Grammar School, Ikeja, has placed Nigeria firmly on the global education map after being named a top ten finalist for the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize 2026. The recognition positions her among the world’s most outstanding educators and highlights the growing global impact of Nigerian teachers working in challenging environments.
Adeola was selected from over 5,000 nominations and applications spanning 139 countries, an achievement that underscores both her innovation in teaching and her influence beyond the classroom. The Global Teacher Prize, now in its tenth year, is a one-million-dollar award established by the Varkey Foundation in collaboration with UNESCO to celebrate exceptional teachers and elevate the status of the teaching profession worldwide.
Adeola Olufunke Akinsulure. Image Supplied by Agency
Teaching in a public school where many families survive on low incomes, Adeola has worked within the realities of overcrowded classrooms and unstable electricity supply. Her journey into science education was not without its own struggles. Having once found science difficult herself, she made it her mission to change how students perceive STEM subjects, especially those who believe science is not for them.
Reimagining STEM Education in Lagos Classrooms
Through her innovative SOAR+T teaching model, Adeola combines edutainment, low-cost technology, gamified assessments, and real-world problem solving to make Biology engaging and accessible. She uses music, role play, and digital tools to simplify complex concepts, helping students connect theory with everyday life.
The results have been remarkable. Biology credit passes in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination have risen consistently to between 95 and 99 percent, including a dramatic improvement from 45.3 percent to 99 percent within a single year. Her school has since been recognised as the Best School in its district and ranked among the Top 50 Schools in West Africa.
Adeola’s impact extends far beyond examination results. She founded the Environmental Bees Club and REACHHer Hub, initiatives that introduce students to robotics, artificial intelligence, waste-to-wealth projects, and leadership development. Her menstrual health and leadership programme alone has reached more than 500 girls across 106 schools, addressing barriers that often keep girls out of science and leadership spaces.
In addition, Adeola has trained over 30,000 teachers across Nigeria, equipping them with creative, low-cost teaching strategies that can be adapted to resource-limited classrooms.
This multiplier effect has positioned her not just as a classroom teacher, but as a national education influencer.
Sunny Varkey, founder of the Global Teacher Prize and GEMS Education, praised Adeola’s work, describing her impact as one that shapes communities and helps define the future. UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Education, Stefania Giannini, also emphasized that investing in teachers like Adeola is essential to building inclusive and sustainable societies.
Adeola will join nine other finalists from countries including Italy, Spain, Australia, India, the United States, and Argentina at SPARK.Dubai 2026, a global education conference scheduled for next month. The final winner will be announced at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, taking place from February 3 to 5, 2026.
As anticipation builds toward the final announcement, Adeola Akinsulure’s recognition stands as a powerful reminder that impactful teaching can emerge from the most challenging environments. Her journey continues to inspire students, educators, and policymakers, while shining a global spotlight on the potential within Nigeria’s public education system.
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