Amman, June 23 (Petra) -- Representing the Minister of Education, Nawaf Al-Ajarmeh, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Education for Educational Affairs, patronized the closing ceremony for the 10th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge at the Royal Cultural Center on Tuesday.

Al-Ajarmeh emphasized the ministry's sustained dedication to the initiative since its inception ten years ago, noting that student participation across the Kingdom's schools has consistently exceeded all structural expectations. He attributed the ongoing success of the challenge in Jordan to the inherent passion of Arab youth for knowledge and self-improvement, extending his gratitude to the participating students, educators, coordinators, and parents who made this honor possible.

Hamad Abdullah Al-Matroushi, Acting Chargé d'Affaires of the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Amman, expressed immense pride in the educational milestone, highlighting the UAE's strategic commitment to spreading knowledge and preserving the Arabic language under the directives of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai. He lauded Jordan's substantial contribution to the 10th cycle, which drew more than 2.1 million students from across the Kingdom. Al-Matroushi noted that this milestone coincided with the largest overall turnout in the initiative's history since its 2015 launch, recording over 40 million participants globally.

Fuzan Al-Khalidi, Director of the Programs and Initiatives Department at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), commended the high proficiency, comprehension skills, and linguistic command demonstrated by Jordanian students during the qualifications. He explained that this expansive institutional effort significantly propelled the global success of the 10th edition, which saw a 24 percent increase in participation compared to the previous cycle, encompassing more than 40 million students from 60 countries, 138,000 schools, and 161,000 supervisors. In Jordan alone, the qualifiers engaged over 2.1 million students representing 5,890 schools under the oversight of more than 8,000 supervisors.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, which featured video presentations on Jordan's historical milestones in the competition and an operetta performance, Al-Ajarmeh honored the top national winners for the 2025/2026 academic year.

In the main student category, Aya Mahmoud Al-Tahat from Al-Khansa Basic Mixed School (Bani Obeid Directorate) secured first place nationwide. She was followed by Zeina Ahmad Al-Qudah from the Islamic Scientific College (Al-Jami'ah Directorate) in second and Hamza Abdullah Al-Kiswani from King Abdullah II School for Excellence (Al-Qweismeh Directorate) in third. Hala Sultan Al-Atoum from King Abdullah II School for Excellence (Jerash) took fourth place, while Ahmad Al-Na'an'ah from King Abdullah II School for Excellence (Tafileh) placed fifth. The remaining top ten spots were claimed by Dunia Fayez Al-Naimat in sixth, Abdullah Ahmad Al-Zghoul in seventh, Jad Bilal Al-Faisal in eighth, Abd Al-Rahman Abu Ubaidah in ninth, and Ruba Hassan Banat in tenth.

In the people of determination category, Enas Mohammad Smeirat from Saydor School (Taybeh and Wasatiyeh Directorate) claimed first place. Amira Hani Saqr from Al-Qadisiyah Secondary School for Girls (Bsaira Directorate) earned second place, and Nabaa Foudi Al-Kloub from Al-Amal Secondary School for the Deaf (Salt Directorate) secured third.

For the Distinguished Supervisor Award, Fakhri Mahmoud Mayas from the Ramtha Directorate won first place, followed by Atef Eid Al-Shraideh from the Northwestern Badia Directorate in second, and Sultan Ayed Al-Amarat from the Petra Directorate in third.

In the Distinguished School category, Al-Khalidiyah Secondary Comprehensive Mixed School from the Northwestern Badia Directorate captured the top spot in the Kingdom. King Abdullah II School for Excellence in Irbid secured second place, while King Abdullah II School for Excellence in Sahab placed third.

//Petra// AF