Public school principal inspires students to strive

AMMAN (UNICEF) — With a sense of purpose and responsibility, Naifeh Louzi, the principal of Saied Ala’a Eddin public school in Abu Nusair has become an inspirational figure in Jordan. 

Students at the school refer to her as a mother, while teachers describe her as a visionary leader.

Leading a double-shifted school with more than 1,500 students in both shifts, can be a very challenging task for most school administrators. But for Louzi, this is something she looks forward to with “joy” every day.

The 53-year-old principal has her own style of leadership, whereby she involves the local community as much as possible in supporting the school and taking initiatives to help vulnerable children get an education.

Her recipe for that does not require a lot, the mother of six said, noting “I love my job, I am faithful to it and I treat my students in the same way as I treat my children."

“The long experience I have as a teacher and principal has helped me understand the needs of children, and to always be patient,” Louzi explained, adding that they come from different backgrounds with different needs.  “If I am harsh with them, they will hate school, and this is the last thing I need to do.”

Huda Odeh, a member of the local community’s education council said that what distinguishes Louzi is her care for every student in the school.

“She follows up directly with their families if students have any issues related to their psychological state, performance at school, or even if she notices any unaccepted behaviour by a child,” Odeh said.

She added that Louzi strongly objects to any violence against her students, and even contacts their families if she finds out that the child has suffered violence at home.

Louzi’s school is one of the over 200 double shifted public schools in Jordan which were started by the government to accommodate all vulnerable children including Syrian refugees.  

She is also one of the most active advocates of the Education Ministry-UNICEF nationwide "Learning For All" campaign supported by Australia, Canada, the EU, Germany, Norway, Japan, South Korea, Norway, the Netherlands, the UK and the US.    

“I believe in the right of every child to education. As long as there is a seat in my school, I do not say no to any child,” said Louzi, noting that there are students from many nationalities in the school.

Through the campaign, Louzi has worked with the education council of the local community in the school’s neighbourhood to spread awareness on the importance of education for children for their own future and for their families.

“I also visited some of the families myself, and encouraged them to register their children in school,” she added.

Louzi has also led initiatives with the local community and some charities to provide daily meals for vulnerable students.

“She treats us with respect and gives us treats whenever a student does something distinguished,” Ala’a Zaher, a fourth grade student described Louzi.

A principal for 11 years, one of the challenges she had to manage was to provide psychosocial support to some of her Syrian students 

“This school is one of the first that started operating in double-shift to accommodate Syrian students five years ago,” Louzi recalled, adding that, back then, many Syrian girls needed support because of what they had gone through during the conflict.

“My team worked hard to help them start over… not an easy task, but we did it,” she recounted.

Louzi believes that she can do more and she said she will keep working with the same spirit. “For most of us, we became teachers because we love doing what we do, and it is our duty to help our students now, for their future and also for the future of our country,” she concluded.