A Historical Look at Aboud Latin Patriarchate School
From the outset of instituting Aboud Latin congregation in the year 1911, the educational and instructional activities have been escorted by the presence of the Catholic church, represented by an elementary girls school located in the same present nuns convent which was well- adjusted to serve as morning schooling as well as a residence for the nuns. So was the case of the priest residence which had also been used since 1913 as an elementary school for boys. Later, both schools were developed especially following “Al-Nakba” event – the catastrophe which befell the Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli troops as a result of the 1948- Arab-Israeli war which enabled Israel to seize the Palestinian coast and forced the Palestinians to flee the coastal towns and cities, take refuge in the West Bank or other countries and live either in camps under canvas or elsewhere in villages, towns, and cities –it was then that Aboud natives who used to live in Jafa, returned to their village. So, in the scholastic year 1950-1951, the number of the school boys amounted to 122 and that of the school girls 54.But during the period extending from 1954 to 1962, these numbers decreased because both schools were influenced by many factors, the most important of which were:
1. The high degree of the outside departure, or overseas immigration.
2. The occurrence of progress and development to the government schools, the fact that made them competitive with the pastoral schools whose secondary boys and girls began to find difficulty in securing admission to them.
3. The existence of the financial crisis which made the patriarchate unable to cover the educational and instructional expenses of the schools or allot budgets for developing them.
Nevertheless, Aboud Latin School witnessed a progressive and remarkable growth which distinguished it from all other schools in the region; this was particularly at the time of father Yousif Namat who promoted it to the secondary level through instituting a secondary stage. Besides, a scout unit was organized; many remarkable, social sporting and cultural activities were provided, and many annual festivals were celebrated in it, attended by the representatives of Ramallah Educational Directorate, the Latin patriarchate together with the governor of Ramallah district.
But in the wake of the”1967-Nakbah”, that is the occupation of the West Bank by Israel as a result of the 1967-war, the pastoral schools were shaken and unsettled like any other schools in the whole area, and so their condition worsened and their activities receded until the advent of Michail Sabbah, the Latin patriarch who took great interest in the pastoral schools, and stressed the importance of their development despite the financial crisis that burdened the patriarchate. It was then that the educational and administrative cadre of Aboud School was well qualified. An additional two-storey building was set up in 1993 through the financial support of the German Knights of the Holy Sepulcher. At present, the ground floor serves as a place for a modern kindergarten, whereas the upper storey is being used in common as allocation for the administration, the secretariat, and a few classes. Later, the kindergarten developed and was equipped with all the educational aids which were essential for modern instruction. In 1999, a third storey consisting of three halls was built. One of these halls serves as a computer laboratory, the second constitutes the library location, and the third is used as a place for laboratory of science. On September 27,2002 the school administration received the patriarchates’ approval of building a forth storey to be used as an assembly for the public meetings of the inhabitants and students, whereas the building operation was to take action in two weeks as of this date.
Statistical information
According to the official registers and records available in the school, and dated from the scholastic year 1956/1957 until 2002/2003, sixteen students graduate from it every year, that is, those who graduated over this past period of years amount to 588 students. In addition, the total number of those who graduated from its establishment in 1911, up to 1956 as well as that of those who were educated for a limited period and then had to leave it without completing their education, and allowing that 20 students graduated on average annually over the 90 years from its establishment until now, we find that this total amounts to 1800 students. This fact shows that Aboud School has had a meaningful existence, and that it has provided educational and instructional services for about 2500 students ever since it was instituted in the early 20th century, at a time when most of the Palestinian villages were deprived of these services.
Information and news items about the school
v The school at present consists of two buildings which comprise 12 rooms, eight of which are classrooms.
v Its educational and administrative cadre consists of 17 instructors, including women teachers.
v The number of its students in this year amount to 107.
v Because of the closure imposed by Israel on the occupied cities and villages of the West Bank, the students who usually come to it from the neighboring villages for seeking education, were compelled to move to other more accessible schools. These students were 180 in number.
v The kindergarten is made up of two decisions:
1- Division, A which receives boys and girls aged from 4-5.
2- Division, B which allows admission to boys and girls aged from 5-6.
v The kindergarten is equipped so well that it can be put on a level with the modern kindergartens existing in the cities. Also it is provided with a central-heating system.
v The kindergarten has a modern games garden which, after being made fit and renewed, was inaugurated on September 9, 2002 following the Catholic schools annual ceremonial mass.
v A year and a half ago, a plan was put into effect, that is, our school was twinned with a Catholic school in Biscat region, and also with St. Michel School in the American state of Meryland.
v The educational and instructional policy of the school complies with the supervision of the faculty of education of Bethlehem University.
Building the second floor of the school (1964)