Nominations have begun for the fourth edition of the “Rural Teacher of the Year” Gala 2025, organized by Teach for Romania. The purpose of the event is to recognize teachers who demonstrate that, despite the challenges, high-quality education is also possible in rural schools.
The teachers of the year will be appointed in February next year. Photo source: archive
“The competition is organized by Teach for Romania and aims to promote teachers from rural areas – teachers, teachers, educators who prepare and use all their creativity and resources to give children the chance for a better future through modern education , quality and relevant”, the organizers say in a press release.
“Rural Teacher of the Year” 2025, nomination categories
The nomination categories are:
- Debutant teaching staff;
- Literacy development (reading-writing skills);
- Development of socio-emotional skills;
- Leadership development among students;
- Educators;
- Involvement in the community;
- Preventing school dropout.
Nominations can be made until December 13, on the Teach for Romania website.
Any teaching staff can be nominated – educator, teacher, teacher, school counselor (less teaching staff and alumni from the Teach for Romania community) for the projects carried out between September 2023 and August 2024. Nominations for this gala can be made by students, parents, other teaching staff, principals, school inspectors, representatives of entities active in the educational field such as NGOs, media entities, public institutions, etc.
How nominations will be evaluated
All nominations will be evaluated in a first stage by teachers and education experts who are part of the Teach for Romania community. In the second stage, for each category, a jury of 5 people will evaluate each application and give a score based on the evaluation grid. The jury will include: representatives of civil society, experts in education, representatives of the business sector, students, institutional partners, media partners, teachers or alumni supported by Teach for Romania. The first 3 applications according to the score, from each category, will be documented in the field to verify the validity of the information provided.
“Having reached its fourth edition, this year’s Gala will pay special attention to those teachers who not only inspire with their dedication, but also promote collective leadership, mobilizing the entire community — from students and parents, to colleagues, leaders local and political decision-makers — to generate deep and lasting change. For us, in Teach for Romania, collective leadership is a significant value that we look at, because it represents a transforming force that goes beyond individual initiative, inviting active collaboration for a common mission: improving education for all children, regardless of the context their socio-economic”, said Iuliana Pielmuș, executive director of Teach for Romania.
Teach for Romania: 1 in 5 students drop out of school
According to the Teach for Romania evaluations, 1 out of 5 students from rural areas drop out of school, and 1 out of 5 students fails to get grade 5 in the National Assessment, twice as many as in urban areas. At the beginning of the last school year, 5 out of 10 students from rural areas had difficulties in writing and reading. However, there are teachers, educators, educators and school counselors who, despite the difficult commute and multiple challenges, support students to defy these statistics and have a real chance at a better future, and these professionals deserve to be recognized and celebrated public, the organizers say. Winners will be announced at a gala event in February 2025.
Teach for Romania is a non-governmental organization that recruits and trains people to become teachers and educators in public schools in Romania, starting from the most difficult communities. In the 2023-2024 school year, 145 teachers are part of this program and teach in 126 schools, from 22 counties.
