Indian schools win three of the World’s Best School Prizes

Three Indian schools – the Ryan International School in Delhi, the CM RISE School Vinoba in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, and the Kalvi International Public School in Madurai, Tamil Nadu – were recognized among the winners of the World’s Best School Prizes 2024. Each of the three winning Indian schools stood out due to their commitment to educational reform and impactful projects, according to a BBC report.

Announce by T4, a London-based organization that works towards empowering teachers and school leaders globally, these awards honour impactful schools and celebrate leaders sparking change.

Of the three, the Ryan International School in Delhi was celebrated for initiatives promoting inclusivity and sustainability in its curriculum. The school was also awarded for tackling water scarcity and pollution through innovative projects like hydroponics and biogas plants. Faced with significant environmental challenges that also include waste disposal and rapid population growth, the school is driven by a mission to cultivate eco-conscious citizens capable of addressing these pressing issues. It incorporates comprehensive environmental education across all grades, blending the Indian curriculum with innovative environmental projects as well. Key initiatives include the DABAT project, which combines technology and traditional farming methods to enhance agricultural efficiency and sustainability, significantly reducing water use through drip irrigation systems integrated with bio-floc technology. Notably, its project “Mitigating the Effects of Water Scarcity” at the Climate Change Challenge held at COP 28, the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, was placed among the top five from 43 participating countries. This achievement highlights the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of its environmental initiatives. The school’s efforts have garnered acclaim, including recognition from the Ministry of Environment for its substantial contributions to environmental conservation. The school has planted more than 5,000 saplings in Delhi as a part of its “Each One Plant One’ campaign. It also plans to expand its green technologies and establish a startup incubator for student-led environmental projects. This will enhance the school’s capacity for further innovation, ensuring that students remain at the forefront of environmental advocacy and action.

The CM RISE School Vinoba in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, was honoured for leveraging local resources to enhance learning outcomes and community engagement. It was recognised for innovative practices such as integrating education with local festivals and hosting early morning sports sessions.

The Kalvi International Public School in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, emerged the winner in the Community Choice Award category for its innovative practices, which foster practical skills and social responsibility among students.

The World’s Best School Prizes are the world’s most prestigious education awards, giving inspirational schools a global platform so others can replicate their best practices. Through this platform, the T4 website states that the aim is to celebrate schools everywhere for the pivotal role they play in developing the next generation of learners and for their enormous contribution to society’s progress.

The World’s Best School Prizes are given for five different categories – Community Collaboration, Environmental Action, Innovation, Overcoming Adversity, and Supporting Healthy Lives, as well as a prize for the Community Choice Award. Schools across the World, including the UK, were nominated for the chance to be crowned the winners and share the $50,000 prize. Each school shared inspiring stories of the positive work they were doing.

The World’s Best School Prize for Community Collaboration was won by a school in Argentina. The school educates 700 students from kindergarten through secondary education with a core mission of ‘inclusivity and innovation’. They work hard to mix education with employment opportunities.

The First Ukrainian School in Poland by the Unbreakable Ukraine Foundation were the winners in the World’s Best School Prize for Overcoming Adversity category. The school started as a charity school in March 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It now has three schools for 1500 Ukrainian refugee children in Warsaw, Kraków, and Wrocław, Poland.

The World’s Best School Prize for Supporting Healthy Lives prize went to a school in Italy. Istituto Galilei-Costa-Scarambone is a secondary school in Italy that has a special program to combat bullying and improve mental wellbeing. The special program is student led and has gone further than helping just pupils in the school, it is now helping students all over Italy.