Stanley Manaay and John Nicko Macapas Coyoca have been named as finalists in Cambridge University Press’s annual search for the world’s most dedicated teacher, after having been nominated by their students.
A public vote is now open to decide who wins, is closing on January 26. The press will announce the overall winner on February 3.
Manaay has been a science teacher at Salvacion National High School in Davao del Norte for over a decade, and is dedicated to involving students in environmental action inside and outside the classroom.
He is also the local divisional president and school coordinator for the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization, and has traveled across the country to raise environmental awareness.
In particular, he is currently working with the Provincial Environment and Natural Resource Office and Department of Education Division of Davao del Norte to support those in remote communities.
Coyoca is the math and research cluster head of the Senior High School (SHS) Department at the University of San Jose-Recoletos, where he recently organized the institution’s first SHS Research Summit.
A “role model to a growing number of Filipino educators,” he is an innovative instructor, and promotes teaching and love of mathematics to students, including leading an annual search for the SHS Mathematician of the Year.
He is also a driven youth empowerment advocate, as a founder of the #GetInvolvedNOW campaign, and the chairman and program director of the Cebu Young Leaders Summit.
The Philippines is the only nation worldwide to have more than one teacher named as an awards finalist.
Other finalists include Tiffany Cavanagh, Trident College Solwezi, Zambia; Meera Rangarajan, RBK Academy, India; Patricia Abril, New Cambridge School, Colombia, and Helen Comerford, Lumen Christi Catholic College, Australia.
This year, over 6,000 award nominations from 97 different countries poured into the press, each detailing an inspiring story about an extraordinary teacher. A panel of expert judges have selected their six finalists from the short list released in December, based on whether nominations met the awards criteria.
Among the criteria, the judges looked at whether a teacher demonstrated innovative practices, provided fantastic pastoral care and prepared students for their futures beyond school.