NA’OUR
Elementary and Kindergarten
1924
Na’our is a small town in the district south west of Amman. Originally a village in agricultural land, it is now mostly residential. Over the years it has expanded with the population coming from other countries as well as parts of Jordan. During the Ottoman period, many came from Chechnya and settled here, their families still live in the area today. The Christians are mostly descendants from two original families.
It is now a mainly Muslim area. Occupations are mostly in agriculture or commerce, a few find their work in governmental and military, low skilled jobs. It is economically a poor area with low level of employment. Many of the parents are not able to pay for the tuition of their children, especially the Christian families.
Naour church 1936
The original school was established in 1924. At first it was in a few rooms under the living accommodation of the Rosary Sisters. The church and school were built in 1956 and provided education for the Kindergarten and grades 1 to 3. Further building took place in 1976, at the Kindergarten school, allowing for extra grades. After the 5th grade, when children had to transfer for their secondary education to government schools, where there was no religious education, the Rosary Sisters taught them religion in the church after school. In 1986 the school was still in the old building in small classrooms but with fewer pupils. With the gradual influx of people into the area it became necessary to find an alternative site. Eventually land was found not far away from the original school. Between 1992 and 1994 a new school was built and the children and staff transferred to the new building. This enabled the grades to be increased up to and including the 6th. With the arrival of a new Principal, the rooms have been re-organised in order to take in Grade 7. This has been achieved by the more efficient use of the space available, reducing the size of the office to provide another classroom.
After graduation in the Secondary School, pupils go to private or government universities, aiming for qualification in the legal, banking or teaching professions. Many stay in the area and send their children to the school. One of the past pupils became the first qualified female pilot in Jordan.
At the moment there are about 180 children in the school, of these about two thirds are boys, the rest girls, about one third are Christian with the remainder Muslim. The teaching staff is entirely female, the Principal having a staff of 10 teachers with two Rosary Sisters and a secretarial assistant. Five of the teachers are Muslim.
The Elementary School has seven classrooms, one for each grade plus a room for Religious education. There are three laboratories, one for computers with twelve monitors, a science laboratory with not much equipment and a poorly stocked library. Also there is a small room used for the teaching of art and craft. Originally a multipurpose hall, the basement has since been converted to provide rooms for the laboratories, library and toilets for the children.
The Kindergarten is away from the main school and situated in three rooms at the side of the house of the parish priest, two classrooms and one room for television. There are two teachers, one being the Principal. Outside, except for a small space at the entrance to the house, there is no area for the children to play. The lack of space inside for large storage, means that some equipment is kept in a short corridor, leading to the toilets.
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