National Evangelical School of Homs

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Main school building, 2010
Entrance gate to the school

The National Evangelical School of Homs (المدرسة الإنجيلية الوطنية الخاصة حمص, DMG al-Madrasa al-Inǧīlīya al-Waṭanīya al-Ḫāṣṣa Ḥimṣ ) is the private school of the Homs Congregation of the National Evangelical Synod in Syria and Lebanon in the Syrian city ​​of Homs . Founded in 1855, it is one of the oldest schools in Syria and one of the largest in Homs. Their educational program ranges from preschool through primary school to secondary school, where the university entrance qualification can be acquired. By the year 2000 it had around 2000 students from different social and religious backgrounds.

Location

The National Evangelical School is located in the Bab al-Sebaa district south of the old town (باب السباع) almost 200 m south of the street of the same name on the east side of the "Street of the National Higher School" or " [Shari] al-Kelia al-Watania " (شارع الكلية الوطنية) about 300 m southeast of the Citadel of Homs and about 700 m south of the National Evangelical Church of Homs , whose parish is the owner of the school. In the immediate vicinity there are two more schools to the west and south. About 250 m to the northeast is the Mar Matanios Church (كنيسة مار مطانيوس) and 200 m southeast the Mar Ephräm Church (كنيسة مار افرام).

history

Drawing of the main building from 1907

In the 1850s, Presbyterian missionaries from the USA came to Homs, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire, and founded a primary school there in 1855 on Bustan ad-Diwan Street (بستان الديوان). The school was expanded into a secondary school in 1905 and moved to its current location in 1908 in the current main building in the Bab al-Sebaa district, which was then newly constructed in the “classic French style”. The school had a high reputation and was attended not only by Syrians, but also students from (today's or later) Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and Iraq. The Ottoman authorities closed the school in 1914 during the First World War and used the building as a military barracks, so that school operations could not be reopened until 1919. During the French mandate , Pastor Hanna Khabbaz (حنا خباز), headmaster since 1907, a book in which he spoke out against French rule, which is why he was persecuted by the French authorities. In the 1920s and 1930s, this school held political rallies against French rule. In 1978 the community also opened a kindergarten in a new building at the school site. In 1996 this building was extended by an additional floor. In 2000 the primary school received its own building.

During the civil war in Syria , the school - like the neighboring retirement home - was always under the control of government troops and remained in operation, while the church was occupied by rebels from 2012 to 2014.

Name of the school

The school's first name was "National High School" (الكلية الوطنية, DMG al-Kullīya al-Waṭanīya ; English National College ,), where the street name Shari al-Kelia al-Watania (شارع الكلية الوطنية, DMG Šariʿ al-Kullīya al-Waṭanīya ). She also became "Purity and Love" (الطهارة والمحبة) called. Since English was taught at this school and also served as the language of instruction in individual subjects, the school in Homs was also known as the "English School" (مدرسة “الإنكليز”) called. After its long-time headmaster Pastor Hanna it was also called "Hanna-Schule" (مدرسة “حنا”). After the conquest of Syria by the British Army in 1941 during World War II , the school was also known as the “Red Cross Hospital” (مشفى “الصليب الأحمر”) because the British had put a cross on the roof of the building they used. After Syria's independence in 1946, the school was named National Evangelical School Homs after its owner, the evangelical community (المدرسة الإنجيلية الوطنية حمص, DMG al-Madrasa al-ʿInǧīlīya al-Waṭanīya Hims ).

The school and its equipment

School buses operated by the Protestant school

The grounds of the National Evangelical School are around 4,000 square meters. There are three two-story buildings, each for kindergarten, primary school and secondary school. Each department has its own school yard and playground. The school operated six of its own school buses and 15 rented buses around 2010.

Sporting successes

Winner of the 2010 swimming competition. In this competition, the school won first place in the overall swimming rankings, first place in the individual rankings for breaststroke over 50 m and 100 m, second in freestyle over 50 m and third in butterfly style over 50 m Space.

In 2008 the international private school association Schuwaifāt (مدرسة الشويفات الدولية, DMG Madrasat aš-Šuwaifāt ad-Duwalīya , named after the town of Schuwaifāt and its school southeast of Beirut ) in Homs held a sports competition for several schools, in which the National Evangelical School received several awards.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Reem Lababidi: The National Evangelical School. Sweet Homs, 2018.
  2. ↑ a b c d الثانوية الإنجيلية الوطنية بحمص ( Memento of September 28, 2013), official website of the National Evangelical Synod in Syria and Lebanon (NESSL):الثانوية الإنجيلية الوطنية بحمص, DMG aṯ-Ṯānawīya al-ʿInǧīlīya al-Waṭanīya bi-Hims ( National Evangelical Secondary School in Homs ), archived by archive.today on September 28, 2013.
  3. ↑ Enno Haaks: “We cannot afford hopelessness”. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Homs is a place of hope - not just for Christians. Gustav-Adolf-Werk , Evangelical Worldwide 1/2018.

Coordinates: 34 ° 43 '12 "  N , 36 ° 43' 3.5"  E