IT is not always Malaysia makes it to the Top 10, but history was made with the selection of Sarawakian teacher Muhammad Nazmi Rosli as one of ten finalists for the 2025 Global Teacher Prize (GTP). The prize, valued at USD$1 million is awarded by the Varkey Foundation for outstanding contribution to the teaching profession globally.
Not only does this accolade pay tribute to the outstanding quality of Nazmi’s teaching but it also acknowledges his community driven initiatives in introducing new concepts and ideas to his classroom teaching, one of which is the Filpen Club, where students in SK Luagan (a government school) in Sarawak learnt film making, marketing and financial literacy skills.
Through this programme, his students gained leadership and creativity skills that enabled them to successfully raise enough funds to purchase a boat, a much needed
asset in bad weather, so students could reach their schools during floods. At the same time, Nazmi worked to expand the programme to the rest of Sarawak through the Filpen Festival, which would bring the initiative to other schools in the region.
The GTP aims to elevate the status of teachers globally and acknowledge their role as drivers of future societies. The GTP winner will be announced in Dubai on February 11, 2025.
Nazmi first achieved recognition when he won the Malaysia Teacher Prize in 2023, awarded locally by Pemimpin, (a not-for-profit education organisation) set up in 2017, dedicated to improving teaching outcomes through its programmes and workshops nationwide. To-date, it has successfully reached 1,900 schools and 3,500 teachers, funded by the corporate sector and other foundations.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to represent Malaysia on the global stage. This journey - from winning the Malaysia Teacher Prize 2023 to being named as one of the Top 10 Global Teacher Prize Finalists-has been an incredibly meaningful and priceless experience.
“I dedicate this achievement entirely to my students, who are the inspiration and driving force behind every effort I make. Their passion for learning and advancing is the heartbeat of all the projects we have successfully executed together,” said Nazmi, whose educational journey has been strongly supported by Pemimpin.
Samuel Isaiah, executive director of Pemimpin said, “Cikgu Nazmi embodies the spirit and commitment that drives every educator in Malaysia. His achievement in reaching the Top 10 finals in the GTP is proof that the passion and hard work of our teachers can bring about significant change. We are incredibly proud and will continue to stand alongside educators that expand their positive impact on education and society.”
“From 2021 to 2022, Nazmi was an active participant in the leadership, enrichment and development (LEAD) fellowship, which ran for ten months, aimed at developing teachers in schools through best practices and evidence-based skills. This has yielded results in the long term,” said Samuel, who in 2020 was also selected as finalist in the GTP for his initiatives among the orang asli in SK Runchang, Pahang.
Today Samuel continues his journey through Pemimpin, empowering and giving support to educators such as Nazmi, who chose the path less travelled to motivate and enrich the lives of marginalised communities throughout Malaysia.
