Baishali Mukherjee

Three Indian schools won the 2024 World’s Best School Prizes on October 24. Awarded by London based T4 Education in collaboration with Accenture, American Express and the Lemann Foundation, the prizes recognise schools worldwide for their substantial contributions to advancing society. Ryan International School, an independent school in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj won the award for ‘Environmental Action’ for embracing technology to combat water scarcity and pollution. CM Rise School Vinoba, a state-run school in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam won the prize in the ‘Innovation’ category for delivering top-quality education to impoverished communities, while Kalvi International Public School, a school in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai won the ‘Community Choice’ award for using the power of sport to help young learners succeed. India became the first country to secure three awards in the annual World’s Best School Prizes. 

The international award honors the top schools in five categories – community collaboration, environmental action, innovation, overcoming adversity and supporting healthy lives, while a community choice award is decided by a vote among the 50 shortlisted schools. The winners were chosen by an expert judging academy based on rigorous criteria and have received $50,000, with each school receiving $10,000. The Community Choice Award winner also received membership to T4 Education’s Best School to Work program which helps schools create great working environments. 

“Indian schools have stormed the World’s Best School Prizes this year and truly made history. It is a ringing endorsement of the innovation and expertise bound up in India’s education system and it is proof that outstanding educational practices can be found everywhere, not just in highly resourced nations,” said Vikas Pota, founder and chief executive of T4 Education.

School Education Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Uday Pratap Singh said the historic achievement is an important milestone for the entire nation as the school won the title, leaving behind schools of the world from countries like the US, UK, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Kenya and Thailand. Innovative initiatives implemented by the school has also helped raise pupils’ attendance from 25% to more than 85% and improved exam pass rates from 29% to 96%.

Ryan International School, Vasant Kunj, a private school teaching children K-10, has been taking efforts to educate the children about water scarcity and pollution through the use of hydroponics and biogas plants. The school has implemented environmental education for all classes and integrated the school curriculum with environmental projects. The school intends to use the prize funds to expand its use of technology to support the environment and to establish a start-up incubator for pupil-led environmental projects.

Kalvi International Public School (KIPS), in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, which won the Community Choice Award, enrols pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and is known for integrating sports in education. Since its inception in 2018, KIPS has enrolled 2,359 pupils in sports of which 15 have reached national championships. The efforts have also helped the region in reducing juvenile delinquency. 

Also read: Ahmedabad’s Riverside School wins World’s Best School Prize for Innovation