A Kenyan science teacher, Peter Tabichi on Sunday won the 2019 Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize in recognition of his efforts in turning lives around in a school with only one computer, poor internet and a student/computer ratio of 58:1.

Tabichi will also serve as a global ambassador for the Varkey Foundation, attending public events and speaking in public forums about improving the prestige of the teaching profession.

Reports say as Tabichi was called up to the stage to receive the $1 million prize, loud chants of Kenya and Africa filled the auditorium.

“This prize does not recognize me but recognizes this great continent’s young people. I am only here because of what my students have achieved. This prize gives them a chance. It tells the world that they can do anything,” Tabichi said in his acceptance speech.

He added: “Africa will produce scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs whose names will be one day famous in every corner of the world. And girls will be a huge part of this story.”

Now in its fifth year, the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize was set up to recognize one exceptional teacher every year who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to shine a spotlight on the important role teachers play in society.

The original list of top 50 shortlisted teachers was tinkered down to 10 finalists by a Prize Committee. The eventual winner was chosen from this 10 by the Global Teacher Prize Academy which received 10,000 nominations from 179 countries.