Becoming an educator is not what many people have in mind when they choose their career. Few possess the extraordinary passion and unwavering commitment that is necessary to be an inspired teacher. But those who have these skills embody the best that society has to offer. Hanan Al Hroub, a primary school teacher from Bethlehem, is one such example.
On Sunday, Ms Al Hroub won the $1 million (Dh3.67m) Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize in Dubai from a field of 8,000 nominees. At a time when thousands of teachers in the West Bank are on an indefinite strike over low wages, Ms Al Hroub says that she plans to spend the prize money on supporting her pupils and continuing to develop Palestine’s education sector.
Given her difficult upbringing in a refugee camp under the oppression of Israel’s occupation, her determination and single-minded dedication to her students is an example of the spirit of education in the face of adversity.
