Fujairah educator gets Best GCC Teacher award

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and in the presence of Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Qudwa 2019 successfully concluded its third edition by demonstrating the necessary development skills required for enhancing teaching methods within the UAE. The Forum brought together government ministers, educational stakeholders and decision makers to discuss global best practices and techniques required for teachings to wean away from traditional methods of teaching in a rapidly changing world.

The event saw the winner of the Mohamed Bin Zayed Award for Best GCC Teacher, which recognizes outstanding teachers from the GCC as a tribute to their dedication and achievements in the field of education. This year, Laila Obaid Salem Mutawa Al Yamahi, an Arabic teacher at Murbeh Secondary School in Fujairah, received the award.

Laila Obaid Salem Mutawa Al-Yamahi received the award due to her achievements including the development and implementation of 20 integrated plans, and the completion of more than 45 detailed plans over the past five years coinciding with the initiatives of the state such as Year of Zayed, Year of Good, Year of Innovation and Year of Tolerance. Each plan was based on introducing Diverse programs in line with competence and effectiveness and clear performance indicators including the preparation of a resource room for talents, and a book club of masterpieces of literature, named “Book Cafe”. Laila also developed a comprehensive plan to embrace talent in terms of preparing and executing programs and events at the school.

The teacher has received more than 15 awards at the level of the country and the region, including the “role model” and “Innovation Award” in the top twenty, and the award of “educational research”, and had an impact on the achievement of a student she supervised to achieve third place at the national level and the first in the UAE in the Arab Reading Challenge. The teacher has seven educational, procedural and specialized researches including “Drops of Love in Mutanabbi Poetry”, “Chat is a Threat to the Language of the Elder”, “Psychological Guidance” and “Oral Expression in the Foundation Stage” were posted on the Telegram and Yammer websites. She also received more than a thousand commendations from the school, the region, the Ministry and the local community, most notably a certificate of thanks from Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, a shield from the Qudwa Forum, a certificate of thanks from the Education Council, as well as numerous compliments from parents and students.

Addressing teachers from across all seven emirates, Sheikh Nahayan Bin Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance, Hussain Ibrahim al Hammadi, Minister of Education, Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, Jameela Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Public Education stressed the importance of encouraging ethical values that lead to tolerance and cultural diversity within classrooms. Furthermore, global speakers applauded the UAE for making an effort to encourage teachers in recognizing their power in transforming the mindsets of the next generation of students, to make the world a better place.

In his speech on the role of education in promoting the values of tolerance in society, Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, said that, “The UAE recognizes that spreading the culture of tolerance and human brotherhood in the country and the world is not achieved automatically, but must be nurtured through continued work. The role of education in developing tolerant societal behaviour and respect for others, will ultimately prevent younger people from being attracted to temptations of violence, extremism or anti-social behaviour.” Sheikh Nahayan stressed that, “Good education helps the student to embed noble humanitarian principles to learn and practice on the ground, and that good education contributes to the consolidation of the habits and qualities that characterize the mature and integrated personality.