Sustainability Institute Schools Programme (SISP), in Lynedoch outside Stellenbosch, has been named in the top 50 shortlist for the Global Schools Prize 2026, an initiative of the Varkey Foundation celebrating the world’s most innovative and impactful schools that are reimagining education for the future.
The school was selected in the Health and Wellbeing category from almost 3,000 nominations and applications from 113 countries around the world.
Founded by renowned education pioneer and philanthropist Sunny Varkey, the $1 million Global Schools Prize is the largest prize of its kind. The top 50 announcement recognises outstanding schools worldwide that demonstrate exceptional drive and ambition for their students, regardless of circumstance, ensuring every learner has the chance to thrive.
The top 50 shortlisted schools are awarded a Global Schools Prize Badge, symbolising world-class impact and achievement in areas ranging from AI transformation to teacher development. These schools are also welcomed into the Global Schools Network, gaining access to partnerships, professional development, and global collaboration opportunities with other leading institutions.
The SISP is proving that when wellbeing is the foundation of education, children flourish. Serving 142 children from four months to 18 in a Montessori-inspired setting registered as an Independent Special School, SISP weaves emotional literacy, nutrition, movement, creativity, and nature into every school day.
The results speak clearly. Youth improved academic results by an average of 9.6% across Grades 8-12 this year. All six 2024 matriculants passed. Ten young women advanced in the Oribi Entrepreneurship bootcamp. The drama team progressed in a provincial competition with a play they wrote themselves. Over 24,000 nutritious meals are served annually. Community Keepers delivered 152 emotional support sessions to 34 learners in a single term.
Children garden four days a week, cycle, vault on horses, practise aerial silks, journal, and exhibit art at the Rupert Museum. The NextGen Men programme addresses gender-based violence; Emotional Support Circles give teens a safe space to be heard. Youth describe the Hub as “a home where I can talk about anything.”
Prize funds would bring occupational and speech therapy on-site, removing barriers for vulnerable children and proving that care, not crisis, builds futures.
Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation, the Global Schools Prize, and GEMS Education, said: “Congratulations, Sustainability Institute Schools Programme. Your approach to teaching and learning powerfully demonstrates how schools play a defining role in equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to shape our rapidly evolving world. By highlighting your achievement, we hope to inspire a global movement to reimagine learning and turn bold ideas into real-world impact. This is more than an award – it’s a platform to spark a global conversation about scaling the best ideas in education and advancing action far beyond the classroom.”
The Top 50 will be narrowed down to 10 category winners, who will each be awarded $50,000. Of those, one extraordinary school will receive the Global Schools Prize and $500,000 to scale its impact.
The categories are:
- AI Transformation
- Arts, Culture and Creativity
- Character and Values Driven Education
- Global Citizenship and Peacebuilding
- Health and Wellbeing
- Overcoming Adversity
- SEND/Inclusive Education
- STEM Education
- Sustainability
- Teacher Development
The winner is expected to be announced at the Education World Forum in London later in May.
A Global Schools Prize Council, made up of some of the most respected and influential figures in global education, technology, and philanthropy, is guiding the prize and providing strategic insight. It is co-chaired by Stefania Giannini, former Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO, and Dame Christine Ryan, former Chair of the Ofsted Board.
The Council is part of a wider Global Schools Prize Academy, which will choose the winner.
The Global Schools Prize joins the Global Teacher Prize and Global Student Prize, completing a powerful trilogy that celebrates educators, learners, and now schools as institutions of innovation and change. Together, the three prizes spark a 360-degree conversation about what it takes to deliver the best possible education, equipping children to face the future with confidence – while rethinking the future of learning for generations to come.
Text: Editorial Desk | Image: Varkey Foundation
