News update from BHS Principal, David Gray.
The ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel is fragile, with regular bombing still happening. In Brummana this seems quite distant, and Lebanon’s new President and Prime Minister mean there is some hope for the future. The resilience of Lebanese people is admirable – they were calm during the war despite terrible dangers and now life seems normal. War put BHS in survival mode: staying open, keeping spirits up and providing a peaceful and safe haven. Now the focus is on school improvement and how to get the children to work better and be more involved in all aspects of school life. There is currently a big school football tournament on, and soon there’ll be the Model United Nations and a schools conference with workshops and guest speakers.
Two small but significant things happened recently. One involved a ceremony that had been planned as part of the 150th anniversary, but circumstances got in the way until determined students and staff eventually made it happen. A brass plaque with an ode engraved on it was unveiled under The Mother Tree. This tree is 250 years old and the oldest tree in the school; it’s a kind of metaphor for BHS’s continuing existence, despite wars, famine, etc. Students had a poetry competition to write an ode to the Mother Tree, to celebrate its longevity. The winner was a boy in his final year of school. He’s not a great poet or an exceptional student, but he took this opportunity to express what he felt about the tree. It was a tremendous poem in honour of this tree and its impact on the school. Encouraging students to take part like this is important because it means they discover their strengths and weaknesses and how they can become a greater person with the talents they have.
Ode to the Mother Tree
In the heart of Brummana’s grace,
The Mother Tree stands in its place:
Roots deep in Earth’s embrace,
Branches reaching Nature’s trace.
Over the years it has watched us grow,
Inspired dreams and hope to sow.
Generations have seen it rise:
Sturdy yet loving, tall and wise.
A legacy of ancient bark
Connect us like a shining spark.
Oh, Mother Tree, your humbling might
Shades our tears, our laughs and fright.
For generations you’ve been our guide
And in your safety, we find our pride.
You are the holder of the school’s past,
Come what may, your roots will last
A living testament of the strong and free,
God bless our Mother Tree.
By Nadim Haddad Ib1 2023-2024
The second thing is that seven BHS students and a teacher went to Japan recently to learn about the culture, the horrors of atomic warfare and peace education. The trip was funded by a Japanese charity. It was supposed to happen a year and a half ago, but things kept getting in the way, and again, it only happened because the teacher and students were determined not to give up. Students had been chosen to go by the charity, based on letters they’d written. Interestingly, the boy who wrote the ode (above), was also chosen to go to Japan. He’d shown a great sense of commitment in an extremely good letter of application. In many ways, he epitomises what a good school is all about – not being a star or the cleverest in the class, but about taking part, contributing and making the most of what you’ve got.
BHS Bursar, Raymond El Feghali on the importance and impact of school bursaries.
BHS has children from 3 to 18 years, which means families often have children in school for many years. In that time circumstances can change, especially in Lebanon where war and other crises have caused chaos for many families and businesses. Financial aid can be applied for annually and is vital for parents who find themselves unable to pay the fees necessary to continue their child’s education.
The last 2-3 years have seen the value of Lebanese lira to the US$ lurch from 1500 to 140,000 then back down to 90,000 lira to the $. This had a big impact – school income and staff salaries fell dramatically and the need for a financial aid continued. Currently, 30 – 35% (out of a total of 1300 students) would not be able to continue their education without some level of financial help. Education offered in public sector schools is very poor and for parents who want their children to have a good education, they are not a viable alternative. BHS bursaries are a safety net to keep students at their school and preserve the dignity of familiesgoing through tough times.
Bursaries also maintain the ethos and original purpose of the school, which was to help the community educate its children and create goodcitizens. BHS has had a very positive impact on Brummana and on the community. Without financial aid BHS would just become a school for the rich, who can afford to travel to any place and don’t have the same attachment or need. Students who receive bursaries often feel particularly connected to BHS and many come back later in life, to help the next generation.
In the past BHS had 50% boarders, mainly from rich families abroad who could afford to pay relatively high fees. This income subsidised school fees for local children. If the situation in Lebanon improves perhaps some boarding will return.
Financial aid, tuition fees and salaries are all connected: if donations don’t cover the demand for bursaries, tuition fees must rise to cover staff salaries. It’s important staff pay is enough to attract and retain good teachers, which in turn means better quality education. The financial crisis reduced staff salaries a lot, but tuition fees have risen so that staff salaries can improve, but of course that means there is more need for bursaries.
Donations for bursaries come mainly from old scholars, but also from Quakers, ex- trustees, ex-governors and parents. The Old Scholars Association and BHS have both now set up endowment funds, with the aim that large capital sums will gradually accumulate and provide income for the school in perpetuity, particularly for bursaries, but this will take time.
If anyone would like to donate to BHS, the main conduit for giving in the UK is now through the QuIET website – here’s the link: https://quietcharity.org.uk
Featured image by Padres Hana – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31509772
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