Ivano-Frankivsk teacher secures spot among top 50 educators worldwide

Lesia Pavliuk, a primary school teacher at Lyceum No. 7 of the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council, has entered the top 50 best teachers in the world according to the Global Teacher Prize 2025.

This is reported on the Global Teacher Prize 2025 website.

Lesia Pavliuk has already won the National Global Teacher Prize in Ukraine 2024 and was named among the top 50 teachers in Ukraine in 2020 and 2021. Now, her skills and contributions will be evaluated on the international stage.

As the award's founders noted, Pavliuk's innovative teaching methods aim to " cultivate creativity, emotional well-being, and practical skills" in children.

"She incorporates educational kinesiological exercises and mnemonics to enhance cognitive development and memory, which is particularly beneficial for children with special needs. Her inclusive classroom approach has enabled students with disabilities to integrate smoothly into mainstream education, promoting empathy and understanding among all students," the text says.

The prize founders also noted that one of her inclusive students has transitioned to the standard curriculum and made significant academic progress.

"The Global Teacher Prize was created to highlight the critical role education plays in addressing the major challenges of our time – from tackling climate change to addressing inequality and embracing technological change," Global Teacher Prize founder Sunny Varkey said.

The finalists include teachers worldwide who are making a difference in various settings, from teaching in remote towns and villages to driving innovation in urban schools.

"They advocate for inclusion, protect children's rights, and inspire meaningful change," the Global Teacher Prize 2025 website states.

Lesia Pavliuk is a teacher-methodologist at Lyceum No. 7 in Ivano-Frankivsk and a trainer for the New Ukrainian School. She also co-authored methodological manuals for the Ministry of Education and Science (MES). As one of the first teachers at her school to embrace inclusive classrooms—before the NUS (New Ukrainian School) reform—this experience made her rethink her teaching and educational philosophy approaches.

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The Global Teacher Prize is an annual international award recognizing teachers who have contributed exceptionally to the profession. Established by The Varkey Foundation, the award highlights teachers' crucial role and acknowledges their efforts worldwide at the highest level. In Ukraine, Osvitoria has been organizing the Global Teacher Prize Ukraine since 2017.