'Indians should think of positive teacher role models'

Indian people should think about the "positive" teacher role models who are the real foundation for a great education, a Palestinian school teacher who won USD 1 million in Global Teacher Prize earlier this year has said.
Hanan Al Hroub had bagged the 2016 prize for developing a unique play and learn technique to help traumatised Palestinian primary school children.
"Often when Indian education is in the news it focuses on negative stories, from lack of training to lack of funding.
"Though these issues are important, the bigger story we're missing is the incredible work being done by Indian teachers up and down the country that is making a difference to the lives of countless children every day," Al Hroub said.

"I, therefore, encourage parents and pupils to think about the positive teacher role models in India that are the real foundation for a great education. Without their human intervention, innovation and inspiration, nothing great can be achieved," she added.
She also praised India's own history of taking in refugee children.

"India has a strong and proud history of giving a warm welcome to refugees over a number of years and should be an example to many countries as the current global refugee crisis grows," Al Hroub said.
Dubbed the Nobel Prize for teaching, the USD 1 million award is the largest prize of its kind set up to recognise one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession.

"Teachers matter. Teachers like Hanan Al Hroub, who heal young minds as well as teach them, are a shining example to us all. Now, more than ever before we need great teachers to grow great minds in order to solve the world's problems," Kerala- born entrepreneur and educational philanthropist Sunny Varkey, founder of the Global Teacher Prize, said.
"Raising the bar of respect and celebrating teachers across the world will ultimately play a vital role in helping to recruit and retain the most talented candidates for the profession," he added.
The applications have opened for the Global Teacher Prize 2017 created by UK-based Varkey Foundation. It will be shortlisted down to a top 50 and then a final 10, which will be announced in February 2017.

The winner will be chosen from the 10 finalists by the Global Teacher Prize Academy made up of prominent individuals.
All 10 finalists will be flown to Dubai for a gala awards ceremony at the Global Education and Skills Forum in March 2017, where the winner will be announced.