Reading challenge draws 10m students from 44 countries

ONLINE VOTING FOR BEST PARTICIPATING SCHOOL TILL OCTOBER 30

More than 10 million students representing 44 countries from the Arab region and the world will participate in the 2018 Arab Reading Challenge.

Participation has increased by 25 per cent compared to last year as Arab students not residing in Arab countries can now take part in the challenge.

On his Twitter page, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said: “There are 10 million students participating in the Arab Reading Challenge ... 10 million readers will bring about a change. Every student is like a candle, lighting their and our world through their knowledge.”

Meanwhile, online voting for the best participating school has opened to the public. The voting deadline is 9am on October 30. Votes can be cast by logging on to www.arabreadingchallenge.com.

Of the 52,000 schools that entered the third edition of the challenge, five were shortlisted to compete for the ‘Outstanding School’ title that carries a cash prize of Dh1 million.

They include Mujama’a Al Salam School from Saudi Arabia, Al Ikhlas Al Ahlia School from Kuwait, Abdul Hamid Dar Obaid Sidi Ali Secondary School from Algeria, Al Wahda Secondary School from Morocco, and Banat Al Awda Primary School from Palestine.

A total of Dh11 million in cash prizes is on offer this year.