Education Minister Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohammed underlined Tuesday night the importance of education as top teachers from all over the Kingdom were honored during a ceremony at the King Fahd Cultural Center.

“I should like to thank all the participants in the competition. The award will go a long way, indeed, toward the advancement of education in the Kingdom,” he told an audience comprising various guests, educators and representatives of the Ministry of Education.

Prince Faisal bin Abdullah was speaking at the close of ceremonies surrounding the presentation of the third Award for Educational Excellence, an honor bestowed upon teachers who have achieved excellence in the classroom.

The minister of education promised to support the award for educational excellence in every possible way, even if it includes participating in activities beyond the Kingdom's borders.

“It's an irrefutable fact that teachers play a unique and significant role in the education of youth as they search for more knowledge. For this reason alone, the teachers deserve their awards,” a professor at King Saud University (KSU) told Arab News.

Awards were presented to both male and female teachers. Three male teachers received the Special Teacher Award (male category): Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al-Zahrani from the Nasha Secondary School in Al-Baha (1st place); Yahya Ali Yahya Al-Jariee, Shatiee Secondary School in Rejal Almo, in Asir Region (2nd place); and Mofy Masoud Hamad Al-Dousary, Prince Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz Primary School in Al-Ahsa (3rd place).

In the female category for the same award, winners were: Nisreen Saleh Jameel Labban, Al Thekr Intermediate School in Jeddah (1st place); Rania Fouad Naser Al-Dousary, Nineteenth Secondary School in Dammam (2nd place); and Lulwa Ali Melfi bin Duhaim from Forty Six Intermediate School in Riyadh (3rd place).

The winners in the Special Student Adviser Award (boys) were: Ibrahim Ali Abdulaziz Al Buwaidy from the Primary Moath bin Jabal Primary for Qura'n Teaching in Onaiza, Qassim (1st place); Saad Munaal Saeed Al-Amri from Mohammad bin Abdulwahab at Nawas in Asir Region (2nd place); and Abdul Raof Hamad Al-Mady from Makkah Primary School in Makkah (3rd place).

The winners of the Special Student Adviser Award (girls) were: Jameelah Ghazi bin Abdullah Al-Ghamdi from Tenth Secondary School in Dammam (1st place); Hasna Mohammed Ahmed Hamdy from The First in Jazan (2nd place); and Rakia Zamil Rasheed Al-Tamimi from the 33rd Primary School in Hail.

The winners of the Special School Management Award (boys) were: Al-Shokani School in Riyadh with Abdul Rakeem Khader Al-Zahrani as principal (1st place); King Abdulaziz Typical Primary School in Tabuk with Salman Abdullatif Al Daraan as principal (2nd place); and Prince Mohammad bin Fahad bin Abdulaziz in Al-Ahsa with Abdul Raheem bin Mohammad Al-Rabiee as principal (3rd place).

The winners in the Special School Management Award (girls) were: 12th Intermediate School in the Eastern Province with Ammah bint Mohammad bin Zaman Zinel as school principal (1st place); Third School in Asir with Muna Ali Shaie Ahmad as school principal, (2nd place); and Second Secondary School in Mubarraz in the Eastern Province with Buthaina Abdulrahman Abdulwahab Al-Mosa as school principal (3rd place).

According to the Award for Educational Excellence website, the winners were chosen by the 91 coordinators of regions and governorates which participated in the competition.

In addition to cash prizes, a total of 18 BMW 5 and 3 Series and Santa Fe SUVs from Hyundai were awarded to the winners, courtesy of Muhammad Yusuf Naghi & Brothers Group.

Muhammad Yusuf Naghi expressed his thanks to the Ministry of Education for soliciting his company's participation in the competition and even promised to increase the prizes to future winners.”

This is the first time that Muhammad Yusuf Naghi & Brothers Group has participated in the Award for Educational Excellence. "It's like giving back what the group has received in terms of patronage and support from the public," Naghi said. Waleed F. Simsim, GM for general affairs at the group, also attended the event.

Deputy Minister for Education Khalid bin Abdullah Sabti also supported the new composition of the secretariat of the award for educational excellence with Education Undersecretary Abdul Rahman Al Barrak as head and members including Vice President and Secretary-General Ibrahim Humaidan, Mari Wadi'i (coordinator of prizes for boys), Leila Almetruc (coordinator of prizes for girls), a representative of a strategic partner, award committee chairpersons and a group of experts.