Arabic School celebration

Story by Ahmed Said

Photos by Ian Clifford

The Arabic Community Language School held an event on Thursday June 19th at Fir Vale School to celebrate achievements during the academic year 2007 – 2008. The celebration was attended by special guests: Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, Jon Cowley of Burngreave New Deal for Communities and Ahmed Gurnah, Manager of the Burngreave Community Learning Campaign and a large number of parents of students, guests and Trustees of the Yemeni Community Association, which supports the Arabic School.

At the ceremony Mr. Musaid Al Hakam, Headmaster, delivered the school’s speech in which he welcomed the guests and the audience, and expressed his pride at the efforts made by teachers and administrators in providing good and useful information for students. He stressed the importance of learning the mother-tongue for children of the Arab community to help build their personality and future. The support of Yemeni community was expressed by the Chair of the Yemeni Community Association, Saleh Alnoud and parents of students were represented by a speech by Abdul Rahman Al-Qahtani.

Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed expressed his happiness at what he saw in this celebration of the organisation, and its vitality and activity. He emphasised his support for developing the infrastructure of the school by broadening the horizons of the school and develop its curriculum and specialized knowledge and improving mechanisms of its work. A students’ speech was delivered by student Amirah Mohammed in which she, on behalf of her self and her school mates, thanked and highly appreciated the headmaster, the administration and staff at the school.

Speaking to the Burngreave Messenger, Saleh Alnoud, Chair of the YCA, said,

“The Yemeni community has been providing moral support to the Arabic school through the attendance and the participation in their activities as well as providing financial support to the Arabic school which we consider and we are extremely proud of its important achievements.”

Saleh also thanked the Youth Opportunities Fund for supporting the event and thanked some of the young people from the Youth Opportunities Fund Grant Panel who attended the event.

In reply to a question about plans and aspirations of the school, Mr. Musaid Al Hakam the headmaster said,

“our ambition is to increase the number of hours, days of study and the introduction of computers to develop teaching methods. We also aspire to teach various basic subjects beside Arabic such as history and other social subjects that develop personality and maintain culture and traditions”.

A number of parents told the Burngreave Messenger of their satisfaction with the level of education offered by the school with its focus on teaching along with Arabic as part of the culture of Yemen, and their support for plans to increase the number of classroom and extend hours.

During the ceremony a number of events were presented by students of the school including songs in Arabic and in English, a play and a beautiful demonstration of Yemeni traditional costume. At the end of the ceremony certificates and symbolic gifts were given to a number of distinguished students at the school and to the teacher Angela Ghafoor as teacher of the year.

Also worthy of mention is the vital role played by teacher Ammar Abdullah, who shined in organising and presenting the events and made a huge contribution to the success of this magnificent ceremony.

The Yemeni radio programme Sixty Minutes in Arabic, which is broadcast every Thursday evening from 8 pm until 9 on Radio Sheffield Live at 93.2FM attended the ceremony to cover its events and activities.