Pupils mark school anniversary

Students of the German International School marking the anniversary of the school’s founding The German International School, one of the oldest in Sharjah, celebrated its 35th anniversary on Thursday with a series of activities and nostalgic tales of the early years. In 1974, the school started on a construction site that belonged to the civil engineering and construction company Hochtief, which was responsible at the time for building the city's infrastructure.
It was built to provide employees of the company with a school that followed the German curriculum.
Richard Eller, one of the students at the school, had the opportunity to visit His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.
When Eller explained he was studying at a construction site, Dr Shaikh Sultan was shocked to learn that there were no German schools, and instructed the student's father to carry out a study.
"Eller's father carried out a survey to find out how many children went to the school, how expensive it would be and if there was an interest from the community to have a school built," said Dirk Bockmann, the school's principal.
Within a year, Dr Shaikh Sultan had already donated land and paid for half of the school's construction.
Shortly afterwards, on October 1, 1976, the new school started its academic term with 19 students from Grades 1 to 6, and only two teachers.
Now as many as 150 students attend the school, from kindergarten to Grade 10.
A students' photographic exhibition called Students are Building Bridges was also inaugurated on Thursday to mark the school's anniversary.
The exhibition was the result of a competition organised by the Chamber of Commerce in Germany, and will be showcased across the country in various institutions until the end of the year.
As part of the school's anniversary celebrations, Bockmann presented a book to Dr Shaikh Sultan with a letter of appreciation, which was accepted on his behalf by Dr Amr Abdul Hamed, the Ruler's Special Adviser for Higher Education.
Students sang German songs as well as popular English songs, including John Lennon's Imagine.