A Vietnamese high school teacher in the Northern Province of Phu Tho was named in the top 50 finalists 2020 of the Varkey Foundation’s Global Teacher Prize, which has been referred to by journalists as the Nobel Prize for teaching, highlights and celebrates the profession while giving greater recognition to the work of teachers all over the world. Her name is Ha Anh Phuong. Miss Ha, who teaches English in Huong Can Senior High School, entered the top 50 finalists 2020 of the Global Teacher ...

A Vietnamese high school teacher in the Northern Province of Phu Tho was named in the top 50 finalists 2020 of the Varkey Foundation’s Global Teacher Prize, which has been referred to by journalists as the Nobel Prize for teaching, highlights and celebrates the profession while giving greater recognition to the work of teachers all over the world. Her name is Ha Anh Phuong. Miss Ha, who teaches English in Huong Can Senior High School, entered the top 50 finalists 2020 of the Global Teacher Prize, which is presented annually to an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to their profession. Miss Ha has created a model of cross-border classrooms and international projects to bring ethnic students connected with the international to become global citizens.

Having graduated from after graduate education with an honors degree, Miss Ha was invited by a Pakistani pharmaceutical company to be a representative director and an interpreter with an attractive salary. However, she refused to continue her master’s degree in English education. The day Miss Ha decided to return to her hometown to be a village school teacher, her teachers, friends and colleagues were all surprised. At that time, the young teacher thought, “During my high school years, I went to school thanks to the help of the Party and the State of Vietnam. I want to pay the debt of gratitude that the Party, the State and the homeland in the years of studying at schools”.

The prize brings joy and pride not only to Miss Ha and the education sector of Phu Tho Province, but also Vietnam’s education sector. Huong Can School is located in the most disadvantaged district of Phu Tho Province with 85 percent of students from ethnic minorities, but the school has been a prominent volunteer in teaching and learning reform. With great devotion, passion and active application of IT, Miss Ha has helped her students from lower classes to get access to advanced education in the world.