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At a ceremony held on 4 November 2026 at the Teatro Municipal de Las Condes, the winners of a new edition of the Global Teacher Prize Chile were announced. This year, the award received more than 5,000 nominations from teachers and educators across the country. Organized by Elige Educar with the support of UNESCO, the prize seeks to highlight teaching experiences that have a significant impact on student learning and on education communities.
In this edition, Myrian Salinas was first recognized in the Early Childhood Education category and was subsequently selected as the national winner from among the teachers distinguished in the three award categories. Her educational project has created learning and support opportunities for children and families in Puente Alto, particularly in a context of working families and households headed by women.
The ceremony was attended by Esther Kuisch Laroche, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago; María Paz Arzola, Minister of Education; María Cristina Tupper, Undersecretary of Education; and Juan Carlos de la Llera, Rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, among other authorities and representatives from the education sector.
UNESCO highlights the fundamental role of teachers
For UNESCO, recognizing these professional trajectories provides an opportunity to highlight the importance of teachers as key actors in educational transformation, as well as their commitment to fostering meaningful learning and strengthening communities.
“UNESCO congratulates Myrian Salinas and all the teachers recognized in this new edition of the Global Teacher Prize Chile. Their professional journeys remind us that teachers play a fundamental role in transforming education and in the development of their communities. Recognizing their commitment, creativity and vocation also means reaffirming the importance of valuing and strengthening the teaching profession. Myrian’s experience demonstrates that education centred on children, which promotes family participation and fosters curiosity and learning, has the power to open up new opportunities and leave a lasting impact on people’s lives,” said Esther Kuisch Laroche, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago.
UNESCO’s support for this initiative is linked to its commitment to valuing the teaching profession and promoting quality education. Recognizing and sharing inspiring educational experiences helps to highlight the work carried out every day by thousands of teachers to create learning opportunities and support the development of their students.
A career dedicated to education from early childhood
A graduate of Universidad Central, Myrian Salinas has devoted 35 years to early childhood education. As the Director and educator of her own early childhood education centre, she has developed a pedagogical approach that places children at the centre of their own learning, incorporating play, exploration and the active participation of families.
Her methodology begins with children’s questions and interests. A question as simple as “Does sunlight paint?” gave rise to projects involving painting, photography and other forms of artistic expression. Her education community has also developed initiatives such as creating and maintaining a vegetable garden, funded through a flea market organized with toys donated by families.
The jury of the Global Teacher Prize Chile 2026 highlighted her ability to continue learning, innovate and reflect on her teaching practice, as well as her willingness to share knowledge and support other early childhood educators.
“For me, this is a very emotional moment and a great honour. Our project was created with all those women in mind who often raise their children alone and do not have a support network. But it is much more than that: it is a space where families find support and their children can access quality education,” said Myrian Salinas.
For her part, Verónica Cabezas, Executive Director of Elige Educar, highlighted the winner’s commitment to quality education, her capacity for innovation and the fundamental role she has given families in the educational process.
Recognition for teachers from different regions of the country
The Global Teacher Prize Chile 2026 recognized professionals in three categories: Comprehensive Education, Music Education and Early Childhood Education, the latter with the support of Fundación Oportunidad and Fundación YA.
In the Comprehensive Education category, the winner was Tania Isla, a Biology teacher at Colegio Don Orione in Los Ángeles, Biobío Region, who has promoted initiatives to reduce gender gaps in STEM fields, inspire scientific aspirations among female students and strengthen critical thinking.
In Music Education, the award went to Julio Veas, an itinerant teacher working in rural schools in Chiloé and at Liceo de Puqueldón, in the Los Lagos Region. His work connects music education with cultural and territorial identity through experiences in which students research native birdlife and build ancestral instruments.
UNESCO welcomed the nine finalists of the Global Teacher Prize Chile 2026
As part of the activities leading up to the awards ceremony, on Tuesday, 3 November, the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago welcomed the nine finalists of the Global Teacher Prize Chile 2026, at a meeting that provided an opportunity to recognize their professional trajectories and highlight the contributions they make from different education communities across the country.
The meeting was attended by Tania Isla, Jaime Molina and José Luis Cáceres, finalists in the Comprehensive Education category; José Bello, Julio Veas and Constanza Toledo, in Music Education; and Lissette Rivera, Lady Espejo and Myrian Salinas, in Early Childhood Education.
The nine teachers and educators, from the Atacama, Metropolitan, Biobío and Los Lagos regions, represent a range of realities and educational contexts across the country. The meeting highlighted the diversity of their teaching experiences and their commitment to the learning and development of children and young people.
