The Sunday News
By a Correspondent
Palestinian teacher and 2016 winner of the US$1m Global Teacher Prize, Hanan Al Hroub, has encouraged Zimbabwean school pupils and parents to nominate their most inspirational teacher to win next year’s prize, whose nominations have opened.
“I encourage parents and pupils to think about the positive teacher role models here in Zimbabwe that are making a difference to children whose lives have been torn apart,” said Al Hroub who was recognised for developing her “play and learn” technique to help traumatised Palestinian primary school children.
“Without human intervention, innovation and inspiration these children would have no hope. If a Zimbabwean teacher isn’t nominated or doesn’t apply then they can’t get the recognition they deserve.”
Founded in March 2014 by the Varkey Foundation, the World Teacher Prize, also widely referred to as the ‘‘Nobel Prize for Teaching’’ honours the role of teachers in society and is presented during the annual Global Education and Skills Forum held in Dubai.
Widely referred to as the Nobel Prize for teaching, the US$1 million award is the largest prize of its kind.
It was established 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. By unearthing thousands of stories of heroes that transform young people’s lives, the prize hopes to bring to life the exceptional work of millions of teachers all over the world.
The Palestinian teacher who became the second ever winner of the Prize in March this year, with her triumph announced in Dubai by his Holiness the Pope, believes a Zimbabwean teacher stands a great chance of winning in 2017, as Africa was shortlisted this year.
The Prize is open to working teachers who teach children that are in compulsory schooling, or are between the ages of five and 18. Teachers who teach on a part-time basis are also eligible, as are teachers of online courses. It is open to teachers in every kind of school and, subject to local laws, in every country in the world.
If Zimbabwean teachers apply, or are nominated, they could be potentially shortlisted as top 50 candidates later in the year and their inspirational stories publicised, helping to raise the bar of respect for the profession.
The applicants for the Global Teacher Prize 2017 will be shortlisted down to a top 50 and then a final ten, which will be announced in February 2017. The winner will be chosen from the ten finalists by the Global Teacher Prize Academy made up of prominent individuals. All ten finalists will be flown to Dubai for an award ceremony taking place at the Global Education and Skills Forum in March 2017 where the winner will be announced live.
From a field of 8 000 teachers in 148 countries around the world, among the top 10 selected for this year’s prize was Ayub Mohamud, a business studies teacher at Eastleigh High School in Nairobi, Kenya.
Ayub Mohamud is passionate about innovation, design and creativity and tries to equip students with the skills to become successful social entrepreneurs. An idea developed by his students — the production of roofing tiles from recycled waste — has impressed at several competitions including the USA’s Diamond Challenge. It has the potential to change the lives of millions of slum dwellers in areas affected by poverty, cholera, malaria and disruption during Kenya’s rainy season.
In accepting the prize this year, Hroub — whose approach has reduced violent behaviour in schools in Palestine — declared that teachers are today’s tools for building peace and fighting violence. Herself born in a refugee camp in Bethlehem, Al Hroub, also called on Governments and aid agencies to ensure adequate funding, school places and social service support for traumatised refugee children entering new host countries.
“As I have experienced in my conflict-riven homeland, children who see conflict around them on a daily basis experience profound and deep-rooted psychological harm. It is therefore crucial that children that arrive in a new host country have a safe, secure and loving environment,” said Al Hroub. Adding that, “The role of education for refugee children is not only to teach them to read and write, it is also to give them the resilience and persistence they need to deal with what they have experienced, and to avoid repeating the violence they have witnessed. 79 percent of children had experienced a death in the family, while 45 percent displayed symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, 10 times the usual prevalence in children.”
Founder of the Global Teacher Prize, Sunny Varkey, said teachers like Hanan Al Hroub, who heal young minds as well as teach them, are a shining example for many.
“Now, more than ever before we need great teachers to grow great minds in order to solve the world’s problems,” Varkey said.
“Raising the bar of respect and celebrating teachers across the world will ultimately play a vital role in helping to recruit and retain the most talented candidates for the profession.”
