Adeola Olufunke Akinsulure, a Biology teacher at Omole Senior Grammar School in Ikeja, Nigeria, has been named a top 10 finalist for the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize 2026, a Varkey Foundation initiative organised in collaboration with UNESCO.
Adeola, shortlisted for the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize, was selected from over 5,000 nominations and applications from 139 countries around the world.
Now in its 10th year, the $1 million Global Teacher Prize is the largest prize of its kind. It was set up to recognise one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to shine a spotlight on the important role teachers play in society. By unearthing thousands of stories of heroes who have transformed young people’s lives, the prize hopes to bring to life the exceptional work of teachers all over the world. Since its launch, the Global Teacher Prize has received over 100,000 applications and nominations from around the globe.
Adeola Olufunke Akinsulure is a Biology teacher at Omole Senior Grammar School, a state school in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria, where most families survive on very low incomes, and students face overcrowded classrooms and unstable electricity. Having once struggled with science herself, she set out to “rebrand” STEM so that young people who think science is not for them discover that it can be engaging, creative and empowering.
Through her SOAR+T model, she blends edutainment, low-cost technology, gamified assessment and real-world problem solving, using music, role play and digital tools to make complex biology concepts stick. WASSCE Biology credit passes have climbed to between 95% and 99%, with a dramatic jump from 45.3% to 99% in a single year, and the school has been recognised as Best School in its district and among the Top 50 Schools in West Africa.
Beyond exams, Adeola founded the Environmental Bees Club and REACHHer Hub, leading robotics, AI and waste to wealth projects and a menstrual health and leadership programme that has reached more than 500 girls across 106 schools. She has also trained over 30,000 teachers in creative, low-cost pedagogy, multiplying her impact across Nigeria.
Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Global Teacher Prize, GEMS Education, and The Varkey Foundation, said:
“Congratulations, Adeola. This honour recognises not only what you teach, but the incredible impact you make every day. Your work extends far beyond the classroom – it touches lives, shapes communities, and helps define our shared future. In a rapidly changing world, it is only by prioritising education that we can safeguard our tomorrows and face the future with confidence.”