SPEA: Launch of 31st Sharjah Award for Educational Excellence

The award enjoys the generous patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. It aims to realise the Emirate’s ambitious vision of building an integrated educational system, continuing a journey that has spanned over three decades. The award seeks to honour leading educational figures—both individuals and institutions—while highlighting achievements that elevate the quality of education and enhance the skills of students, teachers, and educational leaders.

Award Categories

This year’s edition of the award features two main categories. The first is the “Outstanding Individuals” category, which encompasses several subcategories including outstanding educational leader—divided into upper and middle leadership—outstanding teacher, outstanding inclusive education teacher, and outstanding student from Year 3 to Year 12. It also includes the category for outstanding student (Special Categories), outstanding parent, and outstanding support staff.

The second main category is “Outstanding Institutions”, which includes outstanding nursery, outstanding school, and outstanding institutions or partnerships that support education. In addition to these, the award introduces a special honour this year titled the “Jewel of the Arabic Language Award”. This diverse and inclusive structure reflects the award’s commitment to recognising all components of the educational system and supporting excellence across every level.

Driving Educational Innovation

Her Excellency Dr Muhadditha Al Hashemi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA), affirmed that the Sharjah Award for Educational Excellence serves as a dynamic platform that inspires innovation and creativity in the education sector.

She noted that the Authority continues to develop the award’s criteria and broaden its scope to align with Sharjah’s forward-looking vision of establishing a comprehensive and sustainable education system.

Dr Al Hashemi highlighted the award’s key role in spotlighting outstanding achievements and supporting the talents of educators, students, and school leaders. She emphasised that the ultimate goal is to prepare empowered generations capable of facing future challenges with confidence and competence.

Realising the Sharjah Ruler’s Vision

His Excellency Ali Al Hosani, Director General of the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA), stressed that the Sharjah Award for Educational Excellence embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, by embedding a culture of excellence and innovation within the educational community. He described the award as one of the most effective tools in achieving this direction.

Al Hosani explained that the award aligns with the Authority’s strategy to build an inspiring educational environment that invests in promising talent and recognises high-quality achievements. This, he said, helps instil the principles and standards of excellence both individually and institutionally across the educational landscape.

He added that recognising exceptional efforts contributes to advancing development and innovation, strengthening Sharjah’s status as a leading hub of knowledge and scientific excellence, and keeping pace with the Emirate’s future aspirations to nurture outstanding generations capable of leadership and accomplishment according to the highest standards of quality.

He also noted that the award adds substantial value to the series of educational and cultural initiatives launched by the Emirate, particularly those dedicated to preserving linguistic heritage and reinforcing the Arabic language as a fundamental medium for science and knowledge in an ever-changing world.

Sustaining a Culture of Excellence

Alya Ibrahim Al Hosani, Director of the Sharjah Award for Educational Excellence, reiterated the award’s commitment to continuing its ambitious plans to support outstanding individuals in the education field.

She underlined the award’s efforts to overcome any challenges faced by participants and to adopt advanced methodologies that enhance excellence, creativity, and innovation within both the educational sector and the wider community.

Al Hosani expressed her pride in the remarkable level the award has achieved, both in terms of the quality of entries and the increasing level of participation witnessed with each edition. This distinction, she stated, is the result of concerted efforts by those driven by the pursuit of excellence and a desire to embed it as a shared culture.

Call for Participation

The SPEA invites all educational professionals from various categories to participate in the 31st edition of the Sharjah Award for Educational Excellence.

The Authority has confirmed that nominations are now open to anyone with a genuine aspiration for excellence and a strong desire to showcase their achievements and innovative contributions.

Interested applicants are encouraged to register via the official award website (award.shj.ae) and are advised to review the award categories and criteria, as well as the general and specific conditions for each category, to ensure that nomination submissions align with the approved standards and requirements.