Ghana’s Portia Dzifa Dzilah Wins Global 2025 Cambridge Teacher Award
- Portia Dzifa Dzilah is the first Ghanaian to win the global Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Award, securing 33% of the worldwide public vote
- She was recognised for her Sanitary Pads and School Uniform Project, which provides hygiene supplies and uniforms to underprivileged students
- Dzilah's win was celebrated with a surprise video call and a special ceremony, turning a local initiative into a symbol of educational commitment
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An English teacher at Pakro Anglican Basic School has become the first Ghanaian to win the global title at the 2025 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards.
Portia Dzifa Dzilah emerged as the overall winner after securing 33% of the award's global public vote, beating eight other regional finalists from around the world.
Source: Instagram
The awards, organised by the International Education division of Cambridge University Press & Assessment, honour educators who go beyond the classroom to impact their students' lives.
Dzilah teaches in Pakro, a small farming town in the Akuapim South District, where students face numerous challenges, including poverty, high absenteeism, and teenage pregnancy.
In spite of these obstacles, she has become a beacon of hope and a strong advocate for girls’ education. She was nominated for her Sanitary Pads and School Uniform Project/initiative.
This annual initiative provides new uniforms to students who come to school in tattered clothing and supports young teenage girls with essential menstrual hygiene supplies.
Her work, once recognised only at the community level, drew national attention when she received a surprise video call from Rod Smith, Group Managing Director of Cambridge’s International Education unit.
During the call, she was informed that she had won not only the Sub-Saharan Africa regional award but also the overall global prize.
Ghanaian teacher honoured with Cambridge award
A special award ceremony was later held at her school, where education officials, community leaders, and representatives from Cambridge gathered to celebrate her achievement.
Source: Instagram
In her acceptance speech, Portia dedicated the award to her students and their families in the Eastern Region.
“My students are my daily inspiration. This award is for every girl who chose to stay in school despite the challenges. It’s also for every parent who still believes in the power of education.”
Portia’s story is a reminder that meaningful change in education doesn’t always come from well-funded institutions but often from quiet, consistent dedication in the most unlikely places.
On what the award really meant to her, she said:
"What it means to me, being the winner of the 2025 Dedicated Teacher Awards, is that I am so much inspired that the work I am doing in and out of the classroom has been acknowledged not only where I am based, but also worldwide."
The video of her award ceremony is included below:
Ghanaian lawyer becomes first Yale LL.M. graduate
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh had earlier reported on Agaaya Adongo, a young Ghanaian lawyer, making history after graduating with an LLM (Master of Laws) degree from the most envied Yale Law School.
In a social media post, the young lawyer disclosed how he was motivated by Justice Samuel Kofi Date-Bah, a former Supreme Court Judge of the Republic of Ghana, who is also a proud alumnus of the university.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
