Church Leaders and Education Ministry Officials Visit Haifa's Christian Schools
Translated & summarized from Alarab by baba
Senior church leaders and Ministry of Education officials visited Christian schools in Haifa on September 28, 2026. The visit aimed to foster partnership and observe the schools' educational programs and challenges.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Church leaders and education officials visited Haifa's Christian schools.
- The delegation included top church figures and Ministry of Education representatives.
- Schools presented their educational vision and highlighted resource needs.
- The visit aimed to strengthen partnership between churches and the Ministry.
- The tour covered multiple Christian schools in Haifa.
A high-level delegation of church leaders and senior officials from the Ministry of Education visited several Christian schools in Haifa on Monday, September 28, 2026. The visit was initiated by the inspectorate for Christian schools and included priests, monks, nuns, and pastors, alongside educational inspectors and counselors.
The delegation comprised prominent church figures such as Archbishop Joseph Mattah of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Bishop Hossam Naoum of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, Bishop Macarius of the Greek Orthodox Church of Acre, and Patriarchal Vicar for Israel Bishop Rafic Nahra of the Latin Patriarchate. Father Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land, also participated.
Representing the Ministry of Education were Shireen Natour Hafi, Director of a major department for education in the Arab community, Dr. Amira Hayin, inspector for primary education in the Arab community, and Hanin Azam, inspector for post-primary education in the Arab community. Numerous subject inspectors, including those for Arabic, Hebrew, history, computing, technology, and curriculum, as well as educational counselors and inspectors from the Haifa district, also attended.
The tour included visits to Carmel School, Trinitas School (formerly Carmelites), St. John's School (Saint Luke's), the Sisters of Nazareth School, and concluded at the Arab Orthodox College. School principals presented their educational vision, emphasizing academic excellence, human values, belonging, openness, and pluralism, alongside a focus on languages, sciences, and technology. They also highlighted challenges, particularly the need for resources and budgets to ensure continued operation.
The visit was significant for bringing together church leaders and the leadership of Arab education within the Ministry for a direct, on-site engagement. It provided an opportunity to observe daily school life, educational initiatives, and foster partnership and dialogue between Christian institutions and the Ministry to benefit students and strengthen the schools' standing. Deacon Grace Mansour, the inspector for Christian schools, thanked the host institutions, staff, and participants, including Caesar Marjiyeh from the Ministry of Interior's Department of Christian Communities Affairs.