Arab Reading Challenge (ARC) participants were honoured at a ceremony held under the patronage of the Minister of Education His Excellency Dr. Omar Al Razzaz and ARC Secretary General Najla Al Shamsi at the Cultural Palace in Amman.
His Excellency honoured Duha Hussein, the Jordan ARC champion who is in the 10th grade at Um Qasir Seconday School in Amman, Fadi Wasfi Al-Dihshan, the winner of the distinguished supervisor award, and the winner of the best school Al-Hassad Al-Tarbawi.
His Excellency stated, “I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, for launching the Arab Reading Challenge two years ago. We have seen the impact of this not only in our country, but in many Arab countries; it gave students a great incentive to develop their linguistic skills and knowledge.”
He continued, “ARC seeks to instill the love of reading in young students, making knowledge a vital part of their daily lives; this is in line with the Jordanian government’s vision for their youth and future. Our youth are our hope for the future, and the increasing number of participants in this year’s competitions reflected on the one hand the capabilities of the education sector in Jordan, and on the other hand, young students’ talents and ambition.”
ARC Secretary General Najla Al Shamsi said, “The amount of people who participated in the second round of the Arab Reading Challenge in Jordan was remarkable. We thank the Minister of Education Dr. Omar Al Razzaz for his role in doubling the number of participants from last year; we are very impressed with the ambition and talent of the students at the final stages of the competition.”
His Excellency also honoured all ten student finalists, Wajida Ihsan Al-Henawi (10th grade at Bishop’s School in Amman), Mohammed Al-Subaihi (11th grade at Zarqa Secondary School in Zarqa), Omar Abdel-Khaliq Abu Rizk (11th grade at Tarawneh Secondary School in Amman), Abdulrahman Sulaiman (11th grade at Al-Hoffaz Academy in Amman), Ru’aa Issam Abu Dayya (9th grade Al-Hassad Al-Tarbawi School in Al Quwaysimah, Amman), Tasnim Hakam Khamaisa (11th grade at the Qatar Al-Nada Secondary School in Russeifa), Leena Lo’ay Salim Odeh (8th grade at the Irbid Secondary School in Irbid), Osama Fouad Al-Mimi (8th grade at Al Etihad School in Amman), and Jaafar Ahmed Wahba (3rd grade at the Asamiyah School in Amman).
Over 340,000 students from various grades made it to the second phase of the Arab Reading Challenge; two committees were formed and assessed the participants. Over 500 students made it to the last stages along with five supervisors and one school.
The Arab Reading Challenge was launched by UAE Prime Minister and Vice President and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in September 2015. It represents the largest pan-Arab reading project, and aims to promote a sustainable model for reading through an integrated system of student-supervisor follow-ups and support, as well as monetary incentives for students, supervisors and schools across the Arab World. The project hopes to instigate a cultural renaissance in the Arab World by encouraging students to read and continuously expand their knowledge.