Dar al-Kalima 2017 graduation. Photo by Ben Gray / ELCJHL
By Dar Al-Kalima Principal Anton Nassar
Bethlehem, Palestine – Students and their parents, as well as the Administration of Dar Al-Kalima Lutheran School (DAK), are excited about the new Literacy Stream expansion. Streams or tracks are an intense focus in a students’ curriculum. Since 2000, when the school moved to its current location, until the 2016-2017 academic year, we have offered only a Science Stream leading to graduation. Not having access to a Literacy Stream meant that students who wished to continue their liberal arts studies of languages, history, geography, and humanities had to transfer to another school that offered the necessary graduation requirements for the Literacy Stream.
Beginning this current scholastic year our students in grades 10 and higher will be able to choose either stream of study, Science or Literacy, and continue their education through graduation with their friends and teachers at Dar Al-Kalima. This expansion of studies brings us great pleasure because it includes students with a wider variety of interests and abilities and enables the students to remain in our learning community from pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. Our graduating classes may double in size with this new stream.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land Synod approved Dar Al-Kalima’s request to pursue the Literacy Stream. The Palestinian Authority Ministry of Education gave Dar Al-Kalima permission to add the new track. Because our school is strong and we have supporting facilities, the PA granted Dar-Al-Kalima the Literacy Stream.
We are all excited and enriched by the opportunities this gives our students as well as faculty and administration to provide a broader and richer educational experience for all of our students. It will be exciting to welcome twice as many graduates each year and to send them into our community as young Palestinian leaders formed spiritually, educationally, and socially by our eight School Values: Faith, Hope, Love, Peace, Justice, Belonging, Team Work, and Constructive Dialogue.
Our next pursuit will be the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Stream, a qualifier for entry into the United Kingdom university system.
We give all thanks and glory to God for entrusting us with this educational mission bringing up our most precious resource — our children.
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