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January 28, 2020
Ras Al Khaimah.
On Monday 27 January 2020, the St. Mary’s School, Ras Al Khaimah was officially inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone and Bishop Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia in the presence of several dignitaries and senior members of the clergy and religious of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia.
The school is located in the Khalifa Bin Zayed City area of Ras Al Khaimah, and offers a British curriculum education from the Foundation Stage (FS) to A-level. The School is managed by the Philippines Province of the Sisters of Saint Paul of Chartres, a French congregation, which has been involved in the mission of education for almost three hundred years. The congregation also manages the Saint Mary’s School in Muhaisnah, Dubai.
During his inaugural address, Bishop Paul Hinder expressed his gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, who invited the Church to build a school in the Emirate and generously provided the land, and to Sheikh Ahmed bin Saqr Al Qasimi, who facilitated the development of the school within the Academic Zone of the Emirate.
He expressed his hope that St. Mary’s School Ras Al Khaimah, while serving students of many nationalities, cultures and religions, would, in addition to providing an excellent education, ensure that the students are encouraged to grow in a sound and value based environment, preparing them to be global citizens who make long-lasting and effective contributions to society, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Zayed, the founding father of the UAE who foresaw the nation as a meeting point of cultures and traditions, founded in tolerance and mutual respect.
Bishop Hinder expressed his confidence in the leadership team of the school, that they would lead the development of a strong school culture based on values and positive discipline. The academic leadership of the school is entrusted to its first Principal, Mr. Simone Saad, who is well qualified to head the senior leadership team and is developing and evolving its curriculum to meet the needs of the students of Ras Al Khaimah and the surrounding areas.
With the addition of St. Mary’s Ras Al Khaimah, St. Mary’s Group of Schools has six schools, with the other schools located in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah. All of the schools provide for the holistic development of each child, with a mission of high quality education, affordability, positive discipline and values.
Mr. Joseph Flynn, Managing Director of Saint Mary’s Group of Schools acknowledged the tremendous support that the School has received from the governing authorities of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah since the grant of the land by the Emir, specifically the Economic and Academic Zones, the Municipality and the Civil Authorities, which enabled the construction of the school to be completed on time.
St. Mary’s Ras Al Khaimah currently runs classes from the Early Years Foundation Stages to 8th grade and presently has over three hundred students from 22 nationalities. When fully functional, the school is expected to take in 1800 students at full capacity.
