Palestinian Students Shine in Arab Reading Challenge, Garner Top Honors

RAMALLAH: A Palestinian student, Salsabil Hassan Sawalha, has emerged as the champion of the 2024 Arab Reading Challenge, held in Dubai, triumphing over more than 28 million participants from 50 countries. Sawalha, a student at Bani Naim Girls Secondary School in the North Hebron Education Directorate, clinched first place in this prestigious competition, which is the largest reading event of its kind in the Arabic language. According to Maan News Agency, the competition saw the involvement of over 229,000 schools and was supervised by more than 154,000 individuals who played a key role in encouraging student participation. In addition to Sawalha's success, Joan Asem Asaad from Al-Qabas School for Visual Impairment in the Ramallah and Al-Bireh Education Directorate secured third place in the category for students with disabilities. Awarta Girls Secondary School from the South Nablus Education Directorate also achieved third place among distinguished schools in the Arab world. The Ministry of Education and H igher Education lauded these achievements, especially given the challenging circumstances faced by the educational sector in the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem, and the West Bank. The Ministry emphasized the significance of Sawalha's victory speech in Dubai, viewing it as a powerful testament to Palestine's resilience and the determination of its students to excel on international platforms. Celebrations erupted at Bani Naim Secondary School for Girls, with parents, local officials, and representatives from the Ministry of Education gathering to honor Sawalha's accomplishment. The victory was also celebrated at the Opera Hall in Dubai, where the Ministry's delegation, Sawalha's family, and other participants marked the occasion.