The end of the Christian schools strike that began on September 1 was announced at a press conference on September 27.
Christian schools students are finally back at their desks, after the announcement of the end of the strike. This achievement that embraces everyone has been one great satisfaction!
Ramez Abdel-Hadi
Student, Salesian Sisters School – Nazareth
“It is nice to go back to school. It has been a long time, almost a month. Everyone is excited to go back to school!”
Shaden Abbas
Student, Salesian Sisters School – Nazareth
“It is a nice feeling to finally be back in school. At home I had my daily routine, but I rather be in school.”
Nabih Elias
Student, Baptist School – Nazareth
“It was not reassuring to be home: we were in a continuous state of confusion and disarray. We did not know when we would be able to go back to school. However, the committee had a very important role in the process of securing our rights and in contributing to the school growth and budget.”
Mariana Bathish
Student, Salesian Sisters School – Nazareth
“It is a nice feeling to be back, because this is our last year in this school and we really missed our classmates.”
A press conference was held on September 27, during which the General Secretariat of the Christian Schools announced the end of the strike that began at the beginning of the school year.
H.E. Mons. Giacinto Boulos Marcuzzo, Patriarchal Vicar for Israel, stressed the importance of joint effort by all the parties in support of Christian schools that led to this great outcome.
H.E. Mons. Giacinto Boulos Marcuzzo
Auxiliary Bishop and Patriarchal Vicar for Israel
“My best wishes to you!
Let me invite you to give a big round of applause to the schools and students, to their parents and to the whole of society!
This grateful applause is a recognition to the schools! This has been a great accomplishment!
Congratulations!
This is a historic achievement and I want to thank everyone!”
LIVE ABDEL MASIH
Father Abdel Masih, General Director of the Office of Catholic Schools in Israel, then read a statement that explains the terms of the agreement, which included, among many points, the payment of 50 million shekels for the school year 2015-2016 by March 2016; as well as the creation of a special committee aimed at evaluating changes of the legal status of the schools, now regarded as ‘recognized, but not public’.
Boutros Mansour, Attorney at Law
General Principal of Baptist School – Nazareth
“I believe that we achieved greats results: it was a difficult, but beautiful phase, through which we were able to obtain financial help, a substantial amount of money that will help us to pay off debts and reduce school fees paid by parents.”
School Teacher, Holy Land – Nazareth
We had great confidence in the members of the committee of the General Secretariat and they have made a great effort.
We also know that if they could have gotten a better deal, they would have obtained it.
This is what they could attain and we are very grateful. We hope to get more and better results in the future.