A Ghanaian teacher has once again brought international recognition to the country after being named the Sub-Saharan African regional winner of the 2026 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards—marking the second consecutive year a Ghanaian educator has earned the honour.
Abigail Agyeiwaa, an English teacher at Mangoase Senior High School, was selected from over 1,500 nominees across Sub-Saharan Africa for her outstanding contribution to education and community development. The award, organised by Cambridge University Press & Assessment, celebrates teachers worldwide who are making transformative impacts in classrooms and communities.
Her achievement follows last year’s success of fellow Ghanaian educator Portia Dzilah, who won the overall global prize, further cementing Ghana’s growing reputation for educational excellence and innovation.
Abigail, who began her teaching career in 2014 in the rural town of Adawso, has become widely known for championing quality education in underserved communities and advocating equal opportunities for rural learners. Over the years, her work has expanded beyond classroom teaching into social intervention programmes aimed at tackling barriers preventing children, particularly girls and vulnerable students, from staying in school.
Through the establishment of the KAGAS Foundation Ghana, she has spearheaded initiatives focused on education, health awareness and gender empowerment within communities in the Akuapem North Municipality. Speaking after the announcement, Abigail described education as a basic human right and said her passion for teaching had always gone beyond academic instruction.
She explained that many students struggle not because of a lack of intelligence, but because of poverty, limited opportunities and social challenges that affect their confidence and ability to remain in school. “For me, teaching has always meant understanding what prevents children from succeeding and trying to remove those obstacles,” she said, adding that the award would inspire her to continue supporting disadvantaged learners.
Officials of Cambridge University Press & Assessment commended Abigail Agyeiwaa for her dedication to educational transformation and community impact. Group Managing Director for International Education, Rod Smith, described her as embodying the highest values of the teaching profession, noting that she extends her influence beyond the classroom to enhance the well-being of learners. He emphasised that her work illustrates how education can serve as a powerful instrument for social change, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
The 2026 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards received over 12,000 nominations from 126 countries, with nine teachers selected as regional winners worldwide. Public voting has now opened to determine the overall global winner, who will be announced on June 2, 2026. Abigail will compete against eight other regional winners for the top honour, with voting scheduled to close on May 13. Her latest recognition is expected to further energize national conversations on teacher welfare, rural education, and the pivotal role of educators in driving development.
Source: GraphicOnline