Alaa Hosni : achievement of a Community School graduate recognized
For Alaa Hosni, July 2005 was a month he is unlikely to forget in a hurry. Like tens of thousands of other students across Egypt, he endured a long and anxious wait for the results of his national school graduation exam – the "senaway amma" – a landmark event which can determine not only a student's university choice, but his or her whole career. For Alaa, the results were spectacular: he was awarded a grade of 99 per cent -- the second highest marks achieved anywhere in the country. "I can hardly put my feelings into words," recalled Alaa. "I felt so happy to have achieved the dreams of those who love me, and to have made them proud." Nowhere was the sense of pride stronger than at the school he attended in the small village of Beni Semei, some 500 kilometres south of Cairo. The Abou Welad School is one of over 220 Community Schools supported by UNICEF in partnership with the Egyptian government and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). It is part of a project that aims to bring quality education to some of Upper Egypt's neediest villages.
Fortunately, Alaa's misery did not last long. The following year he joined the single-class community school, and thanks to an accelerated learning program, he completed second and third grades in a single academic year. Alaa's other talents soon began to emerge. He wrote poetry on children's rights and the need for girls to receive the same educational rights as boys – an interest no doubt stirred by the four sisters he counts among his siblings. He has also spoken out against the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) – a practice that is almost universal in rural Egypt. After graduating from the primary level of the Community School, Alaa joined the village committee responsible for managing the school's affairs. Earlier this year, Alaa won third prize in a classical Arabic Language competition organized by the League of Arab States, receiving his award from the League's Secretary General, Amr Moussa. Alaa says he owes his success to the very special kind of education he received. "A Community School education teaches you how to evaluate what you learn and how to apply it in real life. It prepares you for the real world." As for his longer-term future, Alaa has set his ambitions on becoming a petroleum engineer. UNICEF Regional Education Adviser Malak Zaalouk believes that wherever his career leads him, Alaa is proof of the value of a quality education. "It's not just about his academic brilliance. He has great values and life skills. He is an example of what a Community School education can achieve," said Dr Zaalouk.
|
