HRH Princess Sarvath patronises Baccalaureate School's 40th graduation ceremony

AMMAN — The Amman Baccalaureate School (ABS) celebrated its 40th Graduation at a ceremony on Friday, held under the patronage of HRH Princess Sarvath El Hassan, Founder and Chairwoman Emeritus of ABS.

Delivering the keynote address, HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and School Director, congratulated the graduates and their families and celebrated the Class of 2024 as a blessed and talented group of young Jordanians who were a gift to the nation and their communities. The Princess "thanked all those who had contributed to their education and nurturing as rounded, humane and creative young people, from parents and extended family to teachers and staff," according to a statement from ABS. 

She also emphasised that the "thoughts and loving concern of this extended Jordanian family were very much focused towards our brothers and sisters in Palestine, and in Gaza in particular, on this day and every other day that the awful conflict and oppression continued. She expressed her deep pride in the people of Palestine, who have continued to teach the world heartbreaking lessons in patience, steadfastness, loyalty and love for community and nation."

"The celebration of the Class of 2024 also marked a desire to send into the world those with the compassion, knowledge and determination to bring justice to Palestine."

Fiyaz Ahmed, CEO and Interim School Principal, addressed the graduates, praising their success in meeting the requirements of the International Baccalaureate (IB) with flexibility and determination, overcoming challenges, and pursuing knowledge. He added, "Today, we celebrate not only your academic achievements but also the incredible individuals you have become." 

The graduation ceremony included a speech on behalf of the Class of 2024, delivered by Valedictorian, Talal Younis, who expressed his pride in graduating from such a "prestigious institution and thanked all those who had contributed to their journey at the school. He expressed his fellow students’ deep solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Gaza.

 His fellow graduate, Alaa Eldin Arafa, recited a poem for Gazans, expressing his generation’s determination to keep the Palestinian cause alive in the hearts and minds of all free Arabs.

The graduation ceremony concluded with the presentation by Her Royal Highness Princess Sarvath El Hassan of certificates and awards to the graduates. 

ABS has graduated over 2,800 students since its foundation. Over the years, many students have won places at prominent universities around the world, with many receiving scholarships based on their academic excellence.

This year, ABS successfully completed the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Standards visit, qualifying it for the Collaborative Learning Protocol (CLP) visit scheduled for next year, making it the first school in Jordan to undergo evaluation based on this new protocol, the statement said. 

The school also excelled in many academic and extra-curricular areas, including athletics. Several programmes were launched to enhance academic opportunities for students, improve learning experiences, and to develop skills, including enrichment and innovation programmes that integrate advanced technologies and enhance the educational experience.

ABS was founded in 1981 and has been committed from the start to implementing the vision of HRH Prince Hassan and HRH Princess Sarvath, to provide a challenging bilingual education in Arabic and English which, whilst meeting the highest international standards, remains firmly rooted in its Arab heritage.

ABS was the first in Jordan to adopt the IB Diploma Programme and was instrumental in spreading the programme locally and regionally. It is the first school in Jordan, and one of approximately 30 worldwide, to offer all four IB programmes (IBPYP, IBMYP, IBDP and IBCP).