MUMBAI: For years, teacher and artist Ruble Nagi has been using slum walls to create murals to provide education to children who rarely go to school. That work was recognized on the global stage Thursday when she won the 2026 Global Teacher Prize, the world’s largest award for educators, with a $1 million prize.It was presented at the World Government Summit in Dubai, an annual gathering of leaders and policymakers. The award is supported by the Varkey Foundation and UNESCO — Honoring teachers whose work has reshaped learning outcomes and communities.Najib developed a pedagogy around art and began her work in the slums of Mumbai about a decade ago. In accepting the award, she said recognition for work rooted in “education, compassion, consistency and service” strengthened her determination to continue working with marginalized children.Through the Ruble Nagi Arts Foundation, she has established more than 800 learning centers across India, reaching children who have never been to school as well as those who are enrolled but struggling to keep up. The focus is on basic literacy, numeracy and basic conceptual understanding in communities where formal schooling often fails to sustain them.Nagi is perhaps best known for her murals, which use color, symbols, and stories to teach lessons. Neglected spaces in the settlements were turned into open-air classrooms teaching languages, science, mathematics and history. Art is vital to her as a vehicle for instilling confidence, healing, and self-expression.Starting from small-scale practical actions among families living in fragile living conditions, the Nagi Art Foundation has now expanded to villages and various urban centres. She said the underlying belief is that inequality is not destiny and that a dignified education can bridge the gap between exclusion and opportunity. Nagi, an educator inspired by the legacy of Savitribai Phule, said she remains committed to education without discrimination.Under her Misaal India initiative, Najib has also set up skill centers for women to help them become financially independent and become entrepreneurs.Global Teacher Award and GEMS Education founder Sunny Varkey said Najib represents “the best of teaching – courage, creativity and compassion”. Francis Joseph, CEO of GEMS Education, said Najib’s influence extends beyond the traditional classroom. Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO, said the award reaffirmed a “simple truth: teachers matter”.
