Ghanaian Teacher Makes History with Prestigious Cambridge Award

Portia Dzifa Dzilah, a dedicated educator from Pakro Anglican Basic School in Ghana’s Eastern Region, has become the country’s first regional winner of the Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards.

The honor recognizes her transformative work in a rural farming community grappling with educational challenges including truancy, teenage pregnancy, and gender disparities in school enrollment.

Selected from over 5,000 nominations across 101 countries, Dzilah stands out for creating innovative solutions to keep students engaged. She established a gender club and pioneered initiatives addressing food security and menstrual hygiene – critical barriers to education for girls in her community. “I became a teacher to change lives, not just deliver lessons,” Dzilah told Cambridge Press after receiving the award. “When we invest in children, we invest in our community’s future.”

The Cambridge University Press and Assessment award celebrates educators who demonstrate exceptional commitment beyond classroom instruction. As a regional winner for Sub-Saharan Africa, Dzilah receives £500 worth of books for her school, a trophy, and recognition in upcoming Cambridge textbooks. She now advances to the global finals where public voting will determine the overall 2025 winner.

Rod Smith, Cambridge’s Managing Director of International Education, praised Dzilah’s achievement as a testament to teaching’s irreplaceable human element: “No technology can replicate the empathy and inspiration a great teacher provides.” The award comes as Ghana intensifies efforts to improve educational outcomes, particularly in rural areas where enrollment rates lag behind urban centers.

Dzilah’s work in Pakro – where she mentors girls and develops practical programs addressing local challenges – exemplifies the community-focused approach needed to transform Ghana’s educational landscape. Her recognition shines a light on the critical role teachers play as change agents, particularly in underserved areas where socioeconomic factors often limit children’s academic potential.

Voting for the global competition opens soon, offering Ghanaians worldwide an opportunity to support this groundbreaking educator as she represents the nation on the international stage. Dzilah’s story underscores how committed teachers can overcome systemic barriers to create meaningful change, one student at a time.