More than a school, a hive of activity! The ‘Jardin de Marie’ nursery school is more than just a school. It is a hive of activity where babies, toddlers, children and young people with special needs happily rub shoulders in the green space of the only Catholic school in the city of Nag Hammadi, located on the left bank of the River Nile, 80 km north-west of Luxor, which has a population of around 40,000.
The school, which is called ‘Jardin de Marie’, was founded in 1962 by the Sisters of Charity, who have been sowing the seeds of fraternity, tenderness and mutual respect there for 63 years. Sister Manale presents the specific nature of the three educational realities that coexist in perfect harmony within the same educational institution.
– ‘La garderie des Anges’: This daycare centre is a real hive of activity that welcomes around 210 children aged between 3 months and 4 years. It is here that innocence, psychological comfort, positive energy and enthusiasm fill the atmosphere of our institution. Eighteen educators and employees work with Sr Sabrine NAÎM to support the children during their first months.
– The nursery school: The second educational reality is the nursery school, where 352 children learn the first basic notions of reading and writing. Demand is so great that we are obliged to accommodate 40 to 44 children per class. Thirty teachers give their heart and soul to offer quality education and to adapt the learning to the needs of the children.
– The Centre for Children with Special Needs: The third reality that beats in time with our hearts and that attracts everyone’s attention is the ‘Centre de l’Amour’ (Centre of Love), which takes in children with motor or psychological disorders. These children and teenagers suffer from autism, cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, ADHD or hyperactivity… This service requires self-sacrifice and generosity of spirit…. With these children, we learn to be patient, not to expect quick and direct results, to cooperate with the team of professionals; it is a place of acceptance of others as they are, with their limitations and their vulnerability. This is the main reason for its name, ‘Centre of Love’. The testimony of Sister Nohad and the instructors speaks for itself. Their kindness is continually praised by Muslim and Christian parents.
Our institution, like the Catholic schools in Egypt, brings together children of different religions, teaching them to grow together in mutual respect and to love one another. Faced with the rise of fundamentalism, we increasingly need schools and centres that patiently weave the links of tolerance and openness to others. Our society needs agile and skilful ‘bees’ who tend to the city and bring it a soothing delight!
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