Physical education teacher from UAE and maths teacher from Saudi Arabia each win Dh1 million
Abu Dhabi: The Higher Committee of the Mohammad Bin Zayed Award for Best Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Teacher on Tuesday announced the winners of its first edition.
The award as instituted on the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. It rewards best educational practices, supports teachers, and aims to create generations of trustworthy leaders armed with the best knowledge, science, and professional skills available.
The announcement was made during a press conference at the award’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Hussain Ebrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, and general supervisor of the award, and the members of the committee, attended.
Rashid Ali Hashim, a physical education teacher from the UAE, and Fawaiya Dhwaiher Al Meghmasi, a maths teacher from Saudi Arabia, won the award, and will each receive Dh1 million.
The best 20 teachers, who participated in the award, will attend training courses at leading academic institutions. Heba Abdul Aziz Salmeen from Kuwait and Amina Nabeel Al Rumaihi from Bahrain each won Dh100,000 for teaching excellence.
The committee selected the winners following a series of field visits to participating countries to review a summary of the nominated teachers’ experience and identified their positive impact in the field of education.
The award assesses teachers in five criteria: Communal and professional leadership (10 per cent), sustainable development and learning (20 per cent), excellence in achievement (40 per cent), creativity and innovation (20 per cent) and positive citizenship, allegiance and national belonging (10 per cent).
During the press conference, the committee announced the launch of the award’s second edition, which will be open till March 3, 2019.
“This award is unique in its ideology and vision, and is based on Shaikh Mohammad’s goal to strengthen the education system and create progressive plans, programmes and initiatives that will achieve this goal locally and around the Gulf, through supporting teachers, enabling them to improve their performance, and honouring those who excel in education,” Al Hammadi said.
“The award is distinguished in terms of its ideology and approach, and celebrates teacher, elevates their thoughts, and identifies the excellent ones and gives them the support and appreciation they deserve, to continue their pioneering and motivate others to progress. Teachers have an important message and noble profession, and we have clearly witnessed their role in strengthening the education system through their creativity and efforts, which reflects on their students, who represent the highest goal for us all,” he added.
“We aim to have an education system that keeps pace with modernity, the latest developments, and the sustainable knowledge economies of our Arab region, and a creative, innovative and persistent teacher is behind a successful education system. By supporting teachers and creating an environment that supports their creativity, we can create an advanced education system,” he further added.
The award is part of the belief of the wise leadership in the role of education, which was established by Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, through supporting students, caring for the educated, and building a solid base for qualitative education, Al Hammadi said in conclusion.
