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28 March 2024

Princess Haya honours winners of Princess Haya Award for Special Education

Photo: Wam

Published
By Wam

Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has honoured the winners of the sixth Princess Haya Award for Special Education (PHASE) at a ceremony held at the Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

A host of senior officials, board members, managers and employees of special education centres also attended the event.

Addressing the audience at the ceremony, Minister of Community Development, Najla Mohammed Al Awar, said that recognising administrative and technical excellence in the special education sector helps to inspire and motivate people who are devoted to supporting and serving people with special needs.

She stressed the importance for special education institutions to provide a quality service that fosters happiness and positivity and creates the conditions for a brighter future.

The winners of the Princess Haya Award for Special Education (PHASE) in the Specialist Excellence Category are: Outstanding Special Educator/Teacher: Seham Bakry Mohamed from Al Khan Center, Sharjah.

Outstanding Movement Therapist: Ahmed Abouelmakarem Elmorsy from Ajman Center, Ministry of Social Affairs.

Outstanding Occupational Therapist: Ameera Jacoba from Manzil Center, Sharjah.

Outstanding Vocational Therapist: Mariam Al Hammadi from Dubai Rehabilitation Center.

Outstanding Educational Psychologist: Rudolf Stockling from Lexicon Reading Center, Dubai.

The winners of the Princess Haya Award for Special Education (PHASE) in the Institutional Excellence Category are: Outstanding Special Needs Centre: Institute of Behavioral Psychology, Special Education School, Pakistan Outstanding Awareness Campaign: AL NOOR ASSISTIVE TECH-X 2015, Al Noor Training Centre for Persons With Disabilities.

Outstanding Institutional Initiative: ENABLE LLC (Desert Group) The Princess Haya Award for Special Education (PHASE) for Outstanding Family of Special Needs Child was received by the family of Ghala Mohamed Taleb from Al Noor International School, Sharjah.

The winners of the Princess Haya Award for Special Education (PHASE) in the Outstanding Management Category are: Distinguished Board Member: Vasudha Prakash Natarajan, V-Excel Educational Trust Outstanding General Manager / Director General: Ahmed Al Helou Howayda from Right to Live Society, Palestine.

Outstanding Administration Employee: Najla Rasheed Al Azeezi from Dir. of Rehabilitation & Employment Centers for People with Disability Outstanding Finance Employee: Mahmoud Mohamed Atwan from UAE Down Syndrome Association, Dubai Outstanding Support Service Employee: Baiju Abdul Gafoor from SNF Center, Dubai.

The winners of the Princess Haya Award for Special Education (PHASE) in the Corporate Social Responsibility Excellence Category are: Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility Supporter (Public Sector): Dubai Municipality, Dubai Duty Free and Roads & Transport Authority.

Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility Supporter (Private Sector): Al Jalila Foundation and Emirates NBD Outstanding Volunteer: Nadine O'Connor, nominated by Manzil Center.

HRH Princess Haya also thanked the Award’s sponsors including Jumeirah Hotels Group, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Dubai Land Department and Al Maktoum Foundation; as well as the Golden Patrons of the Award, which included Emirates NBD and Emaratech, and Aramex, the Postal Services Partner.

Chairman of the Award Executive Committee, Mohamed Al Emadi, congratulated the winners, and called on them to be ambassadors for their centres and continue to build on the successes they have achieved. Al Emadi also praised the efforts of the Award’s jury for applying the highest standards in evaluating the nominations.

Al Emadi said, "Over the past few years, the Princess Haya Award for Special Education has invited various local and international special education centres to participate in the Award. The first cycle of the Award was limited to local institutions and received 109 entries from 14 centres. We then expanded the second cycle of the Award to include GCC countries, and we received 185 entries from 200 centres. The number of entries continued to grow, with 168 entries from 347 Arab countries in the third cycle, and over 190 entries for the fourth and fifth cycles of the Award. We are extremely proud that since its establishment, the Award has honoured a total of 128 winners from various Arab countries."

He added that the Award’s sixth cycle received 119 entries, out of which 97 were from the UAE and 22 from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, Palestine, Jordan, India, Pakistan and Switzerland.

Princess Haya launched the Princess Haya Award for Special Education in 2008 to promote creativity, excellence and specialist expertise in the special needs sector.

The Award aims to encourage the adoption of best practices in educating and rehabilitating people with special needs, in line with international standards.

It also seeks to put in place high quality programmes that provide practical, beneficial results for the children.

The Award’s main focus is to create an environment that promotes the development of qualified professionals capable of providing high quality services to those in need.