At the World’s Best School Prizes 2024, schools from Poland, India, Italy, and Argentina were recognized for their innovative and impactful contributions to education. The five winning schools, selected from across the globe, shared a $50,000 prize for their remarkable achievements, ranging from supporting refugee children to combating pollution and fostering anti-bullying initiatives.
The World’s Best School Prizes, established in 2022 by T4 Education, celebrate excellence in education across five categories: Innovation, Environmental Action, Supporting Healthy Lives, Overcoming Adversity, and Community Collaboration.
Global Winners and Their Impactful Contributions
- First Ukrainian School in Poland: The school, run by the Unbreakable Ukraine Foundation, won the Overcoming Adversity award for its support of Ukrainian refugee children. Originally a charity school launched in March 2022, it now operates three branches in Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw, providing tailored education to 1,500 refugee children integrating into Poland.
- Istituto Galilei-Costa-Scarambone (Lecce, Italy): This Italian school received the Supporting Healthy Lives prize for its “Mabasta” anti-bullying initiative, which also focuses on promoting mental well-being. Launched by students, the initiative combats bullying and cyberbullying while promoting healthy, positive school environments.
- Ryan International School, Vasant Kunj (New Delhi, India): Recognized with the Environmental Action prize, this school’s innovative projects, such as hydroponics and biogas plants, tackle issues of water scarcity and pollution. Their initiatives focus on sustainable solutions to environmental challenges while engaging students in hands-on learning.
- CM RISE School Vinoba (Ratlam, India): Awarded the Innovation prize, CM RISE School was recognized for its “Cycle of Growth” model, which supports teacher development and student engagement. This initiative raised attendance from 25% to 85% and improved exam pass rates from 29% to 82%.
- Colegio María de Guadalupe (Buenos Aires, Argentina): This school won the Community Collaboration prize for its program that combines education with professional development for financially vulnerable students, helping them achieve better employment opportunities.
Additional Recognition for India
An additional award, the Community Choice Award, went to Kalvi International Public School in Madurai, India, for its outreach initiatives targeting children from disadvantaged families. The school’s focus on holistic development and social integration earned it widespread public support in the voting process.
A Global Call for High-Performance Schools
Vikas Pota, founder of T4 Education and the World’s Best School Prizes, praised the winners, saying, “It is my hope that governments now look to your shining examples to see what can be achieved when schools are committed to high performance and when education seeks to tackle some of the greatest challenges our societies face.”
