Ghanaian teacher wins Cambridge regional education award for second consecutive year
A Ghanaian teacher has once again placed the country in the global spotlight 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 claimed the honour.
Abigail Agyeiwaa, an English teacher at Mangoase Senior High School, emerged victorious from a field of more than 1,500 nominated teachers across Sub-Saharan Africa for her contribution to education and community development.
The award is organised by Cambridge University Press & Assessment and recognises outstanding teachers making transformative impacts in classrooms and communities around the world.
Her recognition comes just a year after fellow Ghanaian educator Portia Dzilah won the overall global prize, further strengthening 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 praised her commitment to educational transformation and community impact.
Group Managing Director for International Education at Cambridge, Rod Smith, said Abigail represented the highest values of the teaching profession by extending her influence beyond the classroom to improve the wellbeing of learners.
He noted that her work demonstrated how education could serve as a powerful tool for social change, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
The 2026 edition of the Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards attracted more than 12,000 nominations from 126 countries, with nine teachers selected as regional winners across different parts of the world.
Public voting has now opened to determine the overall global winner, who will be announced on June 2, 2026.
Abigail will compete against the eight other regional winners for the top global honour, with voting expected to close on May 13.
Her latest recognition is expected to further energise conversations around teacher welfare, rural education and the role of educators in national development.
