The Franciscan schools in the Holy Land date back to the 16th century, while the Holy Land School in Bethlehem is considered the oldest in the entire Middle East, having been founded in 1598.
These schools, which seek to provide qualitative education to people of different social and economic backgrounds, have had graduates who proved to be excelling in every walk of life.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS SERVE AS A MAJOR SOURCE OF ENLIGHTENMENT
With Catholic schools and educational institutions emerging since late 16th century, darkness that prevailed in the region before this date was gradually eliminated, and a new phase of Catholic education shoved the area into a new phase of enlightenment that changed the face of the region. These schools made people literate, enabled them to be productive, and consequently to build a bright future for generations to come.
With education serving to progress societies, these schools introduced enrolled students to a unique sphere of knowledge, whereby people learned foreign languages, in addition to Arabic, and were equipped with additional spheres of sciences and cultures. Furthermore, these schools, which currently enroll thousands of students, serve the development of the educational level of the local communities.
In a statement, Director of Terra Sancta Schools Br. Ibrahim Faltas, says, "There is a beautiful coexistence and ecumenical dialogue in our schools. We live this coexistence practically every day. We often have students who enter at the age of three and then we follow them until the end of their university studies. We also offer several scholarships. This is the spirit of the Franciscan schools in the Holy Land. Our schools are unique in every field and everyone wants to study with us. The education that we Franciscans provide to the local community is the main incentive for Christians to remain in the Holy Land."
HOW DO FRANCISCAN SCHOOLS PRESERVE THE CHRISTIAN PRESENCE IN THE HOLY LAND?
The Franciscan schools have served as a haven for the Christian communities in the Holy Land. In the first place, these schools were established in the region to help the Christian communities receive qualitative education, this is due to the fact that no societies can make substantial progress without education. Education serves as the cornerstone of the progress of any society. Consequently, these Christians were entrenched in their homeland, and their presence was preserved.
Yet, due to the prevailing turmoil prevailing in the region, some Christians opted to emigrate. Regardless of anything, the Christian presence in the Holy Land will never diminish.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS SERVE ALL MEMBERS OF SOCIETIES
With the Catholic schools striving to help the poor and the needy, they are also considered as “factories that produce knowledge” to all people without any consideration.
People of all walks of life strive to have their children enrolled in these schools. This is due to the fact that these schools provide a qualitative education that is not available in other schools. Apart from education, the enrolled students are taught to follow a strict system in life based on seriousness engulfed with good manners, and a will to excel in studies so as to set a model of success that uplifts the standard of living of their relevant societies.
CATHOLIC HIGHER EDUCATION KNOCKS ON THE DOOR OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Having attained resounding achievements in the field of school education, the Catholic Church resorted to presenting further successes in this field by launching two universities in the Holy Land. These two universities are Bethlehem University and the American University of Madaba.
A.BETHLEHEM UNIVERSITY: This university which was founded in 1973, is located in the urban setting of the large town of Bethlehem, the Holy Land. Bethlehem University offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees bachelor and master degrees in several areas of study.
B. THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF MADABA: This university was established by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. It opened in October 2011. The university offers degrees in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, biology and biotechnology, medical laboratories, nutrition and dietetics, pharmacy, computer science, accounting, business administration, banking and finance, marketing, risk management, human resources management department, architecture, design and visual communication, interior design, English language and literature, in addition to translation.
With the Catholic educational institutions serving to attain the development of societies, these institutions deserve all kinds of support from the local and international communities, since such institutions preserve peace based on the culture of mercy and respect for others.
