The Board of Trustees of the Ohannesian Armenian Weekly School in Sharjah has formed a group of female teachers who will voluntarily work on organizing off-school activities, with the aim of bringing the students, their parents and friends of the school together.
In an announcement circulated on 18 January 2009, the Board of Trustees expresses its belief, that “with these activities the Armenian Community center will get more vibrant, Armenian children will be able – through games, movies and competition – to accumulate more knowledge, feel closer to their friends, to love and feel attached to the school, the church and any other Armenian institution in general”.
The circular emphasizes that “through dinner, music, songs and games, a club atmosphere will be created for the Armenian parents and friends of the school”.
In order to know more about this project, the Board is inviting to a pilot project called “Introduction Dinner” which will take place on 22 January 2009, starting 7pm, in the churchyard of the Armenian Community Center in Sharjah. Members of the above mentioned group of teachers will prepare a traditional Armenian food (Gavourma). Activities such as bingo and general knowledge quiz will be arranged in a background of Armenian songs and music.
The rate of participation is very reasonable: for adults 25 and for children 15 UAE dirhams, which equalls about US$ 9.00 and US$ 4.00 respectively, including food consumption. As the weather is cool, it is recommended that the attendants cover themselves with additional clothes. Prior reservation required through Vartoug Karagoullian (050-5372909). Members of the group are: Aline Bedourian, Ani Kavlakian, Maral Manjikian, Nora Segian, Nvart Tngerian and Vartoug Karagoullian.
We have always been in favor of activities that bring the Armenians together. Actually, it was high time to utilize the community center with such kind of social activities that strengthen the bond amongst the Armenians, beyond the official religious, national and other ceremonies and gatherings.
Few months ago, we have sent an official letter to the National Council asking to use the Community Center for these and other purposes (see our letter here). Frankly speaking, we did not expect that the answer would come from the Board of Trustees of the School in the form of the above circular. We always thought that the Board of Trustees would be preoccupied with educational and pedagogic matters. The challenges facing the Weekly school are so immense, that we did not think the respectful members would be able to indulge in activities that are the responsibility of others.
Now that the Board of Trustees of the School has come forward to take care of the entertainment and social needs of our community, we are worried that it will not be able to focus on its pure educational and pedagogical objectives.
Photo: The churchyard of the Armenian Community Center in Sharjah. A place that can be used for social get together and bonding amongst Armenians.
I am thankful for the comments made at the occasion of the “Ghavourma” event organized by the Board of Trustees of Ohannesian School with the active participation of the six female teachers, without whom that event would not have succeeded.
Allow me to make few clarifications:
1. The Board of Trustees has not volunteered nor has been given the task “to take care of the entertainment and the social needs of the community”. The “Ghavourma” event had indirectly a pedagogical objective. The target was hit.
2. As a member of the Board, I assure you that until now The Board hasn?t lost neither its educational nor its pedagogical focus and trust the members, they won't lose focus in the months to come.
a) I appreciate Azad-Hye being concerned and worried. Just to remind the readers, right after the “Ghavourma” and Bingo event the teachers, with the support of the Board, organized few more events, educational and social, which have been well accepted by the school children as well as their parents. All the past events (and the events to come) have been decided weeks before the “Ghavourma” dinner event.
b) The board is not surprised to realize that at present the number of supporters of the school has increased. Mind you, in theory you can't find an Armenian in the world who does not support The Armenian School as an institution. In Ohannesian School's case the practical expression of the supportive attitude of members of the community came after the “Ghavourma” event.
The Board members are confident that at present the school has a bigger popular support. A recent example: Azad-Hye has announced today that it has formed a group to support the Armenian schools in UAE. Cheers!!!
c) On purely academic grounds Dr. Julietta Gulamirian was invited by the Board to work with the teachers, to train them and to enhance their pedagogical standards. I am aware that soon an interview will be published in this website with the Professor.
The above examples should suffice to assure the fellow readers that the Board of Trustees has not and won't lose its pedagogical focus and that it is not the intention nor the task of the Board to get involved in “activities that are the responsibility of others”.
3. My humble advise to Azad-Hye would be to inquire / discuss the school matters with the responsibles of the school, be well informed about the school matters prior to making comments or jumping to conclusions.
The Board believes in transparency and has no agenda to hide from its partners nor from its supporters. The Board believes that without the strong and sincere partnership of PARENTS ? STUDENTS ? TEACHERS – BOARD quartet, the school can not achieve its goals. By constitution, the Board is accountable to the body that has appointed it. The decisions taken by the Board have strong bases and clear objectives. Information about the activities and the future plans of the Board can be obtained from the Board members by any community member, any time.
4. Once again I thank Azad-Hye for its uninterrupted support to the school, for the care and the concern shown, for its suggestions and comments. Indifference is the killer disease of communities; unfortunately, it is fashion in the globalized world. This website has always been critical to indifference. Indifference has been and continues to be a major concern for the Board too. Due to the joint efforts of the Board and its partners, indifference is retreating and retiring in Ohannesian Armenian School.
Sincerely Yours
Nishan Basmajian
Note from Azad-Hye: We thank the Chairman of the School's Board of Trustees Mr. Nishan Basmajian for sharing with us his valuable views. Basmajian has always been an outspoken person and his firm and, in the same time, affable approach should serve as a good example for community involvement. We believe this is the beginning of a fruitful discussion and invite the others to post their views either here or in the Forum section. We will try to supply an Armenian translation for this and other texts.
Our School Support Unit will always be, as the name indicates, a unit that supports the school and advocates for greater attention to the needs of the school children.
Finally, in order not to be misunderstood, we need to emphasize that the traditional Armenian gatherings (the way we experienced during the “Ghavourma” event) are most welcome, but (in our view) they should not consume the energy of the teachers. The National Council should come up with ways for continuing those nights or it should allocate resources and auxiliary individuals to help the School?s Board of Trustees, if the later sees appropriate to repeat the experience.
Subsequent postings have been moved to the Forum section