Umm Qais: Middle School

 

The village school (now the site of the Romero restaurant) was built by the villagers in 1922 at their own expense. The opening ceremony for the school was under the patronage of HRH the Late King Abdullah.

 

Oral history suggests that Umm Qais school was probably the third oldest school in the Kingdom of Jordan after Salt High School and Hamidiah School in Kerak.

 

It initially consisted of two classrooms: an Iwan (a traditional Liwan house), and a room for administration. The first school teacher was Baseem Khammash from Nablus and the school provided classes up to the 4thgrade. Students who wished to continue their education beyond this point had to travel to Acre or to Irbid.

 

When the villagers were relocated from the Village, students stopped attending the school. The school buildings were adapted in 1991 into the current rest house / restaurant for tourists.