Shaikha Al Shehhi

Shaikha began teaching as a child on her doorstep with her younger siblings and neighbours’ children, drawing and writing in chalk on the door of her home. Her dream of becoming a teacher grew, and she went to university and graduated top of her class in 2004. Specialising in English, she was appointed at Al-Thait High School in 2005. Shaikha is active in all areas as a teacher. She has received a number of awards, the most important of which are the Khalifa Award for Education and the Creative Teacher Award 2016. She also donates 7% from her total monthly salary to charities and sponsoring orphans.

She has taken the lead in educating her pupils in global citizenship, particularly in environmental matters: her “Reducing Carbon Footprint” initiative was launched to advocate this issue. In research, she has prepared 16 research papers under the supervision of the American University (including a paper on the environment’s impact on student achievement), has recently received an MA in education, and has taken her class on field visits to the Higher Colleges of Technology and various foreign schools with the aim of encouraging students to interact with a variety of educational institutions.

If Shaikha wins the prize, she will use the funds to cooperate with experts worldwide in planning a feasibility study for an Academy of Creative Thinking. This project would aim to improve all state schools’ creativity in scientific, technical, and electronic innovations. She would also set up a global exhibition under the name of Student Creations to market various products and innovations of students.