School kitchen to $1 million UAE teacher award: Saudi educator hopes to build institute for orphans
Through his unwavering dedication and innovative approach, Mansour bin Abdullah Al-Mansour has transformed his school into one of the country's top 10 learning environments for gifted orphans.
His impact, however, goes far beyond the classroom. Mansour has also tutored prison inmates, helping them gain literacy skills that led to their reduced sentences.
A teacher at Prince Saud bin Jalawi School in Al-Ahsa, KSA, he has dedicated over 3,000 volunteer hours to uplifting disadvantaged students and orphans. His remarkable contributions have earned him the prestigious $1 million award in the ninth edition of the prize, the largest of its kind.
Selected from over 5,000 nominations and applications across 89 countries, Mansour was announced as the winner at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Thursday.
He said: 'Thank you to GEMS Education, the Varkey Foundation, and UNESCO for this incredible honour. It is humbling to be recognised among such remarkable educators from all around the world. Through this powerful new platform, I hope to uplift the lives of many more children in Saudi Arabia and beyond. Every child deserves the chance to shine, regardless of their circumstances, and I will continue to work towards breaking barriers so that no young person is left behind.'
Financial literacy initiatives, training teachers
Since 2001, Mansour has worked in low-income neighborhoods, supporting students with learning disabilities and academic struggles. He has connected students with top talent centers, introduced mentorship programmes with King Faisal University professors, and set up an innovation incubator to nurture entrepreneurial ideas, leading his students to win global accolades.
He has also played a key role in financial literacy initiatives. Through the Riyali Financial Awareness Initiative, he has helped low-income students launch small businesses, providing them with interest-free loans of 500 SAR. Many students now earn between 1,300-2,500 SAR per month, with one successfully running a profitable small business.
Beyond students, he has co-founded multiple charitable and educational organisations, including the Qabas Educational Association, which has provided literacy programmes for over 3,250 learners.
Positively impacting prisoners' lives
Outside of his official duties, Mansour runs a programme for prison inmates, helping them learn to read and write, offering them a second chance in life. His tutoring has led to reduced sentences for several prisoners.
The Saudi national also plays a vital role in supporting fellow educators. He has authored over 21 books on education, covering topics such as innovative teaching methods and professional ethics, and has delivered more than 300 training hours to teachers across the Gulf region.
His impactful contributions earned him the role of international ambassador for the Hamdan Bin Rashid Foundation in Dubai, allowing him to travel across the Gulf, sharing his expertise and training educators.
How will he use the prize money?
Mansour now plans to use the $1 million Global Teacher Prize to build a school for gifted orphans, ensuring they receive the best education under one roof.
His dedication to education has also earned him the role of international ambassador for the Hamdan Bin Rashid Foundation in Dubai, where he continues to train and inspire educators across the Gulf.
What is the Global Teacher Prize?
The Global Teacher Prize was set up to recognise one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to shine a spotlight on the important role teachers play in society.
Since its launch, the Global Teacher Prize has received over 100,000 applications and nominations from around the globe.
Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Global Teacher Prize and GEMS Education, and Chairman of the Varkey Foundation, said, 'Congratulations to Mansour on winning the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize 2025. Your inspiring journey is a true reflection of your passion, dedication, and the life-changing power of education.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
30 minutes ago
- Zawya
Saudi-listed Flynas turns to losses of $229mln in Q2 2025
Saudi Arabia's budget airline Flynas reported a net loss of 862.5 million riyals ($229.82 million) in the second quarter of 2025 compared to a net profit of SAR 238.86 million a year ago. The losses were entirely due to non-recurring initial public offering (IPO)-related expenses totalling SAR 1.08 billion. Revenue for the second quarter reached SAR 2.1 billion, down 1.5% year-on-year, due to temporary headwinds from the early suspension of Saudi Umrah and regional instability. The airline reported a net loss of SAR 714.6 million for the first half of 2025 compared to a profit of SAR 388 million a year earlier. Revenue rose 1.3% YoY to SAR 3.9 billion despite temporary headwinds faced in the second quarter. Total shareholders' equity doubled to SAR 3.37 billion by the end of June 2025, compared to SAR 1.64 billion in the same period last year.
Tourism Breaking News
an hour ago
- Tourism Breaking News
Millennium Hotels & Taiba elevate hospitality in Madinah with strategic relaunch of Al Aqeeq and Taiba Properties
Post Views: 38 Millennium Hotels and Resorts Middle East & Africa, in partnership with Taiba, a Saudi forward hospitality company announces the relaunch of two iconic properties in the heart of Madinah: Millennium Al Aqeeq and Millennium Taiba. Strategically located steps from Al-Masjid An-Nabawi, both properties offer a spiritually enriching stay experience for Umrah pilgrims, families, and travellers seeking premium comfort rooted in Islamic hospitality. 'These properties are more than key assets in our portfolio—they are landmarks of faith, connection, and culture,' said Ali Hamad Lakhraim Al Zaabi- President of Millennium Hotels MEA. 'Our partnership with Taiba ensures that every guest, whether a pilgrim, traveler, or visitor, is welcomed with a seamless, enriching experience rooted in the values of Islamic hospitality and cultural reverence.' Following an extensive enhancement of service and guest touchpoints, the hotels will offer upgraded digital booking journeys, enhanced dining concepts, and customized services for religious travellers. Sultan Bader Al-Otaibi, Chief Executive Officer, Taiba, commented: 'This strategic relaunch embodies our shared vision with Millennium Hotels and Resorts Middle East & Africa, to deliver world-class hospitality experiences that honor the spiritual significance of Madinah. At Taiba, we recognize the profound responsibility that comes with serving pilgrims and visitors to one of Islam's holiest sites. Through this partnership, we are raising the standard of religious hospitality, seamlessly blending comfort, reverence, and service excellence. This initiative is a key milestone in our broader commitment to support the goals of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, particularly in positioning the Kingdom as a leading global destination for religious tourism'.
Broadcast Pro
2 hours ago
- Broadcast Pro
MBC Group posts 37.8% revenue surge in H1 2025
Shahid saw revenues climb 25% in the first half to $185.79m, with SVOD revenues up 24.4% to $144.06m, boosted by a targeted content strategy and a new password-sharing policy. MBC Group has reported strong financial results for the first half of 2025, with revenues rising 37.8% year-on-year to SAR 3 ($0.80bn), supported by robust performance across all business segments. Net profit reached SAR 335.4m ($89.43m), up 41.1% from the same period last year, with the net profit margin expanding to 11.1%. Quarterly results showed revenues of SAR 987.9m ($987.9m) in Q2 2025, up 2.5% year-on-year, although net profit declined 38.3% due to the timing of Ramadan, which in 2025 fell entirely in Q1, compared with last year when its first 10 days boosted Q2 advertising revenues. Weaker market sentiment amid geopolitical volatility also weighed on advertiser spending. Mike Sneesby, Chief Executive Officer of MBC Group, said: 'Our first-half results demonstrate the strength and resilience of MBC Group's diversified business model. We delivered solid revenue growth across our core segments, supported by premium content, digital scale, and disciplined execution. Our advertising performance continues to benefit from the Group's geographically diversified footprint which has helped us to mitigate the impact of geopolitical volatility. Our Broadcast & Technical Services segment also remains a strategic revenue contributor, underpinned by a healthy pipeline and a strong track record of delivering on high-impact projects across the Kingdom. Meanwhile, Shahid continues to deliver strong top and bottom-line momentum, supported by a clear content strategy and sustained growth across SVOD and AVOD with growing platform engagement.' The BOCA segment continued to anchor Group performance in H1 2025, with revenues rising 29.6% year-on-year to SAR 1,737.8m ($463.35m), and net profit advancing 23.7% to SAR 314.1m ($83.75m). Growth during the period was broad-based across advertising, content distribution and large-scale media services. TV revenues rose 13.3% year-on-year to SAR 863.4m ($230.21m), reflecting continued advertiser demand across MBC's free-to-air platforms. Broadcast & Technical Services revenues climbed 52.7% to SAR 740 ($197.31m), supported by major projects with key government and institutional clients, including high profile projects that returned with expanded scope, reflecting MBC's strong execution capabilities and high quality of delivery. In Q2 2025, BOCA recorded revenues of SAR 532.4m ($141.95m) compared to SAR 565.7m ($150.83m) in Q2 2024. The 5.9% year-on-year decline reflects the timing of Ramadan, which fell entirely in Q1 2025 versus spanning into 2Q the previous year, impacting peak seasonal advertising revenues. Shahid, MBC Group's high-growth OTT platform, recorded a 25.0% year-on-year increase in revenues in H1 2025, reaching SAR 696.8m ($185.79m) compared to SAR 557.3m ($148.59m) in H1 2024. SVOD revenues grew 24.4% to SAR 540.3m ($144.06m), supported by a clear content strategy and the newly implemented password-sharing policy, which limits account usage to a single IP address unless upgraded to a premium tier. AVOD revenues also delivered solid growth in H1, particularly during the Ramadan peak in Q1, while other revenues increased by 66.1% to SAR 11.9m ($3.17m), reflecting new monetisation streams. Shahid reported a net profit of SAR 2.7m ($0.72m) for the period, reversing a net loss of SAR 23.2m in the first half of 2024. This profit was primarily driven by seasonal strength in Q1, and full-year breakeven is still targeted for 2027. In Q2 2025, Shahid generated revenues of SAR 305.4m, up 17.9% YoY. SVOD continued to lead growth, while AVOD performance moderated due to the absence of Ramadan advertising in the current quarter versus the prior year. The platform reported a narrowed net loss of SAR 10.6m in Q2, down from SAR 16.7m in Q2 2024, supported by operational efficiencies and a stronger subscription base. The Media & Entertainment Initiatives (M&E) segment continued to deliver strong growth in H1 2025, with revenues almost doubling year-on-year to SAR 597.2m, compared to SAR 301.8m in the same period last year, while net profit nearly tripled to SAR 18.6m, up from SAR 6.9m in H1 2024. The segment's performance reflects the continued delivery of major initiatives and growing management-fee income from commercially structured programming. In Q2 2025, M&E revenues reached SAR 150.1m, up 7.9% year-on-year, while net profit for the quarter increased by 39.8% to SAR 6.6m, with a one percentage point expansion in net profit margin to 4.4%. Content remained a key performance driver across both Shahid and linear platforms in H1 2025. Ommi, the Saudi-Turkish adaptation drama following the success of Khareef Al Qalb, captivated audiences across platforms, securing the number one spot on MBC and driving strong viewer engagement. Similarly, Aser, a compelling pan-Arab drama thriller, continued to build momentum, leading its time slot on MBC1 and emerging as a standout success across both broadcast and streaming platforms, with growing regional appeal week after week. Share' Al A'sha, a social drama series set in KSA which aired during Ramadan, also solidified its status as one of the most celebrated Saudi productions of the year. The series earned nine major awards at the Al Dana Drama Awards 2025, including Best Story and Best Picture. In the comedy genre, Yawmiyyat Rajol Anis stood out as a Ramadan highlight, delivering strong viewership in Saudi Arabia and earning Best Comedy Series at the 2025 Al Dana Drama Awards, further reinforcing MBC's leadership in Arabic comedic storytelling. As of the end of 2Q 2025, MBC's content pipeline consisted of over 150 projects, with more than 90% of them slated for production in Saudi Arabia. This reflects MBC Group's deepening commitment to supporting the Kingdom's creative economy through local production and talent development. Sneesby added: 'As we continue to expand our footprint across the region, our strategic focus remains unchanged: invest in scalable, high-impact content, grow our digital platforms, and lead the evolution of Arab media. We have best-in-class capabilities across production, broadcasting, and streaming, and we will continue to apply commercial discipline in evaluating opportunities, pursuing only those that align with our long-term strategic objectives and return thresholds.'
