Happy Chandara School named among world’s top 50 schools, sitting in the Health and Wellbeing category.
The $1 million Global Schools Prize ‘seeks to recognise and celebrate exceptional schools from around the world – institutions that are re-imagining what’s possible in education.’
The 2026 awards had 50 finalists across 10 categories: AI Transformation, Arts and Culture, Character and Values, Global Citizenship, Health and Wellbeing, Overcoming Adversity, Inclusive Education, and STEM Education.
In the Health and Wellbeing category, the finalists are Dechencholing Higher Secondary School – Bhutan, IES Carmen de Burgos Seguí – Spain, Kyaninga Inclusive Model School – Uganda, Lynedoch Community School – Sustainability Institute Schools Programme – South Africa, and Happy Chandara School – Cambodia.
Happy Chandara School, located in Phnom Penh, is a free education institution that is operated by the French NGO, Toutes à l’école. The school supports around underprivileged girls, with about 1,700 students, and has a keen focus on student wellbeing and holistic education model. As part of its focus on health and wellbeing, the students have physical education lessons five days a week at all stages of school, alongside weekly mindfulness, yoga and meditation sessions. The school has full-time psychologists to provide support services for students and it also has an on-site medical and dental centre.
The school also has two boarding schools for the most vulnerable students. Additionally, it has maintained a 100% pass rate in Cambodia’s national high school exams each year, perhaps showcasing how supporting students’ wellbeing has a positive effect on their academics. Student voice is also central to the school’s values, for example, Grade 11 students worked with AZAHAR NGO to deliver peer-led mental health workshops.
Another area that Happy Chandara School was celebrated for is how it supports its local community. The Global Teacher Prize explains:
“The school rebuilds dozens of dilapidated family homes annually, distributes food baskets in exchange for plastic collection, and welcomes boys from public schools every Saturday for academic support and lessons in gender equality. Deep partnerships with the Cambodian Women’s Crisis Centre, village leaders, and government hospitals create a seamless safety net addressing domestic violence, mental health, and family crises—resulting in measurable reductions in violent parenting and sustained school retention despite family adversity.”
It’s no wonder the school has been globally recognised!
Learn more:
References
- Global Schools Prize (2026) ‘The Global Schools Prize’. Available at: https://globalteacherprize.org/pages/global-schools-prize (Accessed: 20 May 2026)
- Asia News Network (2026) ‘Cambodia’s Happy Chandara School named among world’s top 50 for wellbeing-focused education’. Available at: https://asianews.network/cambodias-happy-chandara-school-named-among-worlds-top-50-for-wellbeing-focused-education/ (Accessed: 20 May 2026)
- Global Schools Prize (2026) ‘Happy Chandara School – Cambodia’. Available at: https://globalteacherprize.org/news/global-schools-prize-finalists/2283/2283-Happy-Chandara-School-Cambodia (Accessed: 20 May 2026)
