The African Union Commission (AUC) and the Humana People to People Educational and Training Foundation (HPP E&T) are proud to announce the recognition of five teachers working in rural, underserved and emergency-affected communities across Africa.
The five teachers were recognised at the 2026 AU Continental Teachers Awards, held during the Pan-African Conference on Teacher Education (PACTED 2026) in Eswatini from 5 to 7 October:
For the second consecutive year, the AUC and HPP E&T have partnered to recognise teachers serving rural and underserved communities. This special recognition is funded by HPP E&T, and each of the five teachers will receive USD 2,000.
This year’s partnership was further strengthened by the #RuralTeachersLead campaign, implemented by Humana People to People. Beyond encouraging nominations for the Awards, the campaign aimed to raise awareness of the vital role rural teachers play in their communities, bring greater visibility to their contributions and challenges, and advocate for stronger recognition and support for teachers working in some of Africa’s most underserved areas.
Representing Southern, Western, Central and Northern Africa, the five teachers work in contexts shaped by limited resources, geographical isolation and, in some cases, crisis. Despite these challenges, they demonstrate dedication, creativity and leadership, helping ensure that children in their communities have the opportunity to learn and thrive.
Rural teachers are central to advancing the African Union’s Continental Education Strategy for Africa and Agenda 2063. Recognising their contributions is an important step towards valuing, supporting and retaining teachers in the communities that need them most.
The AUC and HPP E&T congratulate the five teachers on this well-deserved recognition and thank them for their commitment to ensuring that children in rural and underserved communities across Africa have access to quality education.
