Photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

Evaluation to select the UAE’s Arab Reading Challenge winner from the 452,000 participating students will begin on Sunday.

The 5th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge has attracted 21 million students from 51 countries with the passion for reading to develop analytical and creative skills needed for the young generation to build successful lives.

A specialised committee of 157 experts and specialists will remotely evaluate public and private school students from the UAE who have read 50 books over the past year. Students will be shortlisted based on their critical thinking and analytical skills, comprehension of text, communication, clarity of thought and self-expression.

Besides declaring the national winner, the committee will also select the outstanding supervisor out of 1,435 educators and teachers who have guided the participating students throughout their journey in the Challenge, and pick the UAE’s best school out of 1,430 participating schools.

The winners will represent the UAE in the semi-finals to be held in the next few months.

Jameela Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Public Education, said the Challenge continues its mission to build enlightened and innovative generations with a sense of belonging to their countries despite obstacles imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The keenness of the organising team to carry on this message in the Arab world combined with the willpower of youth to read despite difficult circumstances is achievements to celebrate on their own right,” she said.

The Challenge, she said, has successfully adapted to the ongoing global health emergency to make participation easier for students and judging committees. Digital platforms have been formed for training, reading support and panel interviews. ARC paper passports have been replaced with an electronic version to be downloaded and printed, enabling students to write the summary of the book they read.   

The competition gets fiercer as the Challenge approaches the finals. Al Muhairi stressed that every student who participated is a winner.