The exam’s Comprehension Text
[1] Abdallah Wahbi will never forget the day he saw his sister holding a piece of paper and trying to write something, but she could not. Like her mother and grandmother, she had never been to school because she was a woman. At that moment, Abdallah decided to become a teacher and dedicate his life to ensuring that girls and boys alike have access to education.
[2] As a new teacher, Abdallah taught in some of the poorest regions of Morocco. He first worked in a school located in a remote village in the region of Sidi Ifni. It had no electricity, no internet and the conditions were harsh especially in winter. Despite all these challenges, Abdallah was determined to make learning fun for his students. He introduced them to theater, singing, drawing and technology. He charged his laptop batteries at the weekly market so that the children could spend a few hours learning on the computer.
[3] Abdallah then moved to another school in a remote village in the region of Tiznit. Although the school had access to electricity and computers, there were other challenges. Most of his students came from poor backgrounds, with a high rate of illiteracy among their parents. Moreover, the village did not have playgrounds or recreation centres. Therefore, Abdallah decided to make the school a place where children could have fun and interact with their peers. Technology was a valuable tool in this experience. In 2008, he developed an interactive whiteboard using a Wii console remote. Since then, his students have virtually visited 32 countries using Skype. They have also been in contact with children around the world, learning about different countries and cultures, and teaching others about the Moroccan culture.
[4] To keep girls in school, Abdallah had regular meetings with their parents to sensitize them about the importance of education. Since he started teaching in Tiznit in 2007, just three girls have left school and most of his students have achieved high scores in maths, science and French. Some of them have become teachers, doctors and engineers. Outside school, Abdallah has set up 13 summer camps and organized free workshops to train teachers on the use of technology.
[5] Abdallah has won many prizes for his incredible work, including the Royal Medal of National Merit from His Majesty King Mohammed VI. In 2021, Abdallah was a finalist for the Global Teacher Prize competition, which was won by Keishia Thorpe from the USA.
Adapted from: www.globalteacherprize.org
National exam | Arts Stream | Catch-up Session 2022 with answers
