Deaf teacher receives Microsoft’s honour

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

Muhammad Abu Zahra, an Art Education Teacher at Al Amal School for the Deaf has received the title of ‘Expert Teacher’ from Microsoft. He is the first deaf person in the world to obtain this title.

Sheikha Jamila Bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, Director General of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) congratulated Muhammad Abu Zahra for becoming the first deaf person in the world to receive the title.

She praised Abu Zahra’s high level of education and his keenness to keep pace with the latest technological practices in teaching deaf students. His non-disabled colleagues from the school did this as well. More than 80% of them received the title of (Expert Teacher). Sheikha Jamila also congratulated the school’s management and staff because Microsoft chose Al Amal School as a showcase school for the sixth year in a row. The school adopts modern methods of education with its students and focus on the use of technology in developing the educational process.

The Director General of the city praised the school’s effort in educating deaf people until they join collage. The school relies on bilingualism (spoken and sign language) in education. It dedicates the latest modern technologies to reach this goal.

She mentioned the school’s experience in the field of face-to-face and distance education using the smart education portal. The school has been implementing the smart learning programme for years within the Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Program. Muhammad Abu Zahra, who has been teaching at Al-Amal School for the Deaf for 23 years after he was one of its students, expressed his pride and happiness of this achievement. Microsoft has awarded him the title of Expert Teacher as the first deaf person to win the title.

He said, “I joined Al-Amal School for the Deaf as a student in 1985. Then, I began to take an interest in drawing.” He stressed that the school provided him with the appropriate environment to refine his experience and skills, which contributed to raising his awareness and enabled him later to obtain a diploma in fine arts from the University of Minya in Egypt. Once he returned to the United Arab Emirates, Al Amal School for the Deaf opened its doors for him to be part of the work team as a teacher of arts.

Abu Zahra stressed his keenness to keep pace with the latest technology at the professional and personal levels. Perhaps the most important programme he uses in teaching deaf people to draw are (Paint 3D), (Co spaces), and (Power Point).