Palestinian primary teacher wins $1 million Global Teacher Prize
Many in the audience erupted with chants of "Palestine" when her name was announced.
DUBAI (AP) - A Palestinian teacher from the West Bank has won a $1 million award for her innovative approach of using play to counter violent behaviour.
Hanan Al-Hroub, who grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Bethlehem and now teaches at a high school in the West Bank, was awarded the Global Teacher award at a ceremony in Dubai on Sunday.
Palestinians watch on a screen in the West Bank city of Ramallah as Hanan al-Hroub receives the Million Dollar Teacher award. —Reuters
Wearing a traditional Palestinian dress and black veil, Hroub was hailed by world leaders at the ceremony for the Nobel-style award, set up two years ago by the Dubai-based Varkey Foundation.
Detailed in her book "We Play and Learn", Hroub’s approach has "led to a decline in violent behaviour in schools where this is usually a frequent occurrence," the foundation said in a statement.
"We can teach children to be effective and inventive through various contexts which include entertainment, drawing and movement," Hroub said after she was awarded the prize.
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The finalists listen to Palestinian primary school teacher Hanan al-Hroub speak after she won the prize. - AP
"We need to help children with questioning, dialogue, thinking and feeling to help them express themselves."
Video messages from Pope Francis, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, US Vice President Joe Biden, Britain’s Prince William and Microsoft founder Bill Gates were broadcast at the ceremony.
The foundation, set up by Dubai-based education entrepreneur Sunny Varkey, is paid in instalments and requires the winner to remain a teacher for at least five years.
In a statement, Varkey said he hoped Hroub’s story "will inspire those looking to enter the teaching profession and also shine a powerful spotlight on the incredible work teachers do all over Palestine and throughout the world every day."
