We celebrate International Education Day (24 January) with the story of an extraordinary and ‘visionary’ woman and teacher: Sister Zeph, Pakistani teacher and winner of the prestigious Global Teacher Prize 2023.

The Global Teacher Prize aims to highlight the important role of teachers in society by annually celebrating a teacher who has distinguished themselves for their contribution to the profession and the community.

The award ceremony was held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris during the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference.

Sister Zeph founded a school in the courtyard of her home in Gujranwala, Pakistani Punjab, when she was only 13 years old, to help children whose parents could not afford school fees or who were being sent away for religious reasons. As a child herself, she was rejected and expelled from school because she was a woman and because she was Catholic. Her education was in fact self-taught.

Sister Zeph, who teaches English, Urdu, culture, interfaith harmony and climate change, stood out in a pool of more than 7,000 nominations from 130 countries.

Sister Zeph has worked tirelessly to support her school, dividing her time between work, teaching and self-study. In 26 years, her school has accommodated over 200 disadvantaged children by providing free education and adequate facilities. Many of his students have found jobs in his foundation or achieved professional success.

She also runs self-defence courses for girls, having been a victim of assault herself. And she offers financial assistance to families in need. In addition, over 6,000 women have developed skills in textiles and English through a vocational centre she runs. Her relentless fight for empowerment and education has changed many lives for the better. She has received numerous accolades and awards worldwide.