Queen Rania’s Speech at the Inauguration of the Queen Rania Teacher Academy’s New Premises

In the Name of God, the Almighty and Merciful,

May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be with you.

Your Majesty,

Distinguished guests,

It is with great joy that we mark the inauguration of the teacher training academy’s new premises today as a gateway for educators towards new horizons in education and learning.

The beacon of knowledge where we gather today is the tangible realization of a value His Majesty has always called for: teamwork. This achievement is the result of a partnership between many parties:

The academy’s staff, who have worked tirelessly for the past decade to develop and implement its programs… The Ministry of Education, which believed in the priority of teacher training … the governments of Jordan and of the brotherly nation of Kuwait, which together financed the construction of this academy… and the University of Jordan, which has today expanded its academic arsenal by welcoming the academy among the faculties of this esteemed institution – congratulations on the establishment of this monument.

Many thanks to you all, and to every contributing organization and individual. I hope you are as proud of what you have built as we are proud of this pillar of knowledge.

Over the past 20 years, I have met with thousands of teachers. I saw in each of them the hopes of an entire generation – the collective ambitions of parents, and the future of a nation. That is why we established the teacher training academy.

Many of you here know that the academy’s journey was not free of obstacles and challenges, nor of criticism… Neither was it a small investment.

But it is an investment that can never lose. There is no one more worthy of our resources, time, and effort than the person standing at the front of the classroom – the teacher who spends a third of her day with our children… the teacher who imparts principles and values to them alongside math and language skills… in those who are dedicated to carrying out their mission day in, day out, year after year, generation after generation…and what a grand and noble mission it is!

And what a long journey each of us must embark on in search of purpose and life goals… in how we will make a difference in the lives of others and leave our mark in this world. When I first entered public work, I realized that no goal is more important to me than empowering teachers.

But identifying our objectives does not necessarily mean achieving them. There is a distance between one’s ambitions and one’s accomplishments. Along the way, we are sometimes plagued with self-doubt, or confronted with obstacles that make us lose our bearings and go off course. Challenges can shake our confidence in the merits of our mission, allowing hesitation to grind us to a halt.

The lucky ones among us find someone to inspire them and push them toward their goal. I am fortunate to have found that in the person closest to me… and I am honored to be his lifelong companion.

Your Majesty, over the past decade, I have walked a long and, at times, bumpy road with the academy. When I faltered, you offered a steadying hand and reassured me that getting back up is the only way forward, and that this journey is worth the struggle.

You were there to help me see clearly through the many challenges of education reform. You are always generous with your advice when my doubts get the better of me. And, above all else, you reinforce my faith, every day, in the importance of educating our children and supporting their teachers.

You inspire me when you ask with the concern of a father about the state of every school I visit… when we see images of you with your children across the Kingdom, leaning in to listen to them and show them you care. And, despite the weight of your responsibilities, you inspire me by keeping watch over your children’s education, and ensuring it meets your ambitions for them.

I know you never wait for a word of thanks. Even so, from myself and on behalf of every student, father, mother, teacher, and principal – thank you, Your Majesty. If not for your vast heart – where every child can find a home – this project would not have seen the light.

Your Majesty… Distinguished guests,

No one is more worthy of the responsibility of educating future generations than those who have chosen to learn in order to teach. Those who have left the sanctuary of their homes outside of Amman to attend their classes… who head out before sunrise to master lesson planning techniques, how to develop examples of math’s practical uses in daily life, and how to create a classroom environment that encourages inquisitiveness and learning. This is ambition; this is the foundation of citizenship; and these are the values that Your Majesty seeks in the builders of the future.

Our teachers are your soldiers, and they are here today, arming themselves with the knowledge and determination to bring up generations who are confident and capable of conquering the challenges of their time.

We are immensely proud of our teachers and educators, who believe in their mission. Congratulations to our country on the establishment of this monument, and to all those who, brick by brick, contributed to its creation.

God bless you all and thank you for your efforts.

May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be with you.