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What an amazing privilege it is to be entrusted with young lives.
What an endearing opportunity to contribute in the shaping of their future. Yet, what wisdom and grace our Lord grants us to stand up to the precious expectations that our communities set upon us. God is faithful and good. He has protected Greater Beirut Evangelical School ever since it was founded back in 1929. We are grateful for the successes throughout the years in spite of all the challenges. We encourage our students to cling to the everlasting rock, steadfast, even as the earth shakes beneath us.
The impressive academic performance of our students even during the COVID-19 pandemic, has further encouraged us to strive for nothing less than excellence, consolidating all our resources to best serve of our learners. As we move into more normalcy and resume our scientific, artistic, musical and physical activities, we look forward to graduating well-prepared and well-rounded (global) citizens to the universities of their choice ready to make an impact wherever they go.
Our success story holds strong because it is dependent on us all. We are grateful for the cooperation, dedication, and care of the entire team. Thank you, students, parents, teachers, staff, and administrators. May God bless each of you abundantly.
GBES is committed to providing a safe and vibrant learning environment where everyone is valued. Students are empowered to discover and achieve their fullest potential and become independent learners. GBES is a student-centered community that strives to achieve high academic standards, nurture students’ inquisitive minds, and cultivate self-confidence, problem solving, critical thinking, decision-making abilities, self-discipline, spiritual maturity, creativity, artistic expression, compassion, acceptance of diversity, and social responsibility.
The vision of GBES is to graduate well rounded self-fulfilled active citizens who lead productive lives with high moral standards, are resilient to face the increasing challenges of our globalized world and are actively engaged in the betterment of their community.
Greater Beirut Evangelical School was founded in Ashrafieh, Beirut in 1929 by Mr. Vartan Atchinak and his wife Mrs. Asma Trad at a time when the city was growing fast and becoming very cosmopolitan. Mr. Atchinak was in charge of the work of the Foreign Bible Society in Lebanon since 1909 and Mrs. Atchinak was a missionary. Their aim was to provide a solid education that combines Biblical truths and values with high academic standards. Throughout the years, the school has been blessed by missionaries who came from different corners of the world and whose devotion and passion left a memorable impact on the school community.
Mr. and Mrs. Hunaykaty, the nephew and niece of Mrs. Atchinak, were supporting the school all along. However, in 1961, they assumed a more active role in running the institution. The civil war broke out in 1975 and had its impact on the school. Yet, God’s providence allowed the continuity of the mission and the school persisted in service despite diverse intrusions. Since 1983, their daughter Mrs. May Hunaykaty Schoucair has been the principal of the school and their other daughter Mrs. Samia Hunaykaty Jureidini has assumed the responsibilities pertaining to financial and legal matters up until her passing away on June 14, 2023. The school continues to strive to keep up with the demands of the current days and the latest technology to ensure that students are continuously being prepared for all that lies ahead.
Across the years, the Lord’s hand has been on GBES. We trust in His faithfulness and unfailing protection.
GBES is located in the heart of the city yet it has spacious playgrounds and beautiful greenery. Our playgrounds are shaded by different species of trees that give the premises a distinctive charm. GBES is equipped with a reading area, as well as computer and science labs that play a major role in the teaching and learning process.
GBES is blessed with well-qualified, innovative and caring staff who aim to enhance quality learning, shape students’ character and nurture their wellbeing while sparing no effort in dealing with transient learning and behavioral difficulties.
In a world that is challenging and changing at an accelerated pace, we believe that students should acquire 21st century skills that would enable them to navigate its labyrinth. This is why, throughout the learning process, special attention is given to developing critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, information literacy, media and technology literacy, flexibility, leadership, initiative and social skills.
Kindergarten
Our kindergarten years provide a learning environment that enables the child to acquire foundational knowledge and skills necessary for successful formal schooling. Through games and play, we at GBES target literacy, mathematics, communication and language, artistic expression, physical, personal, spiritual, social, and emotional development. As of KG1, English is the language of instruction. In KG2, students are introduced to Arabic and in KG3 they start learning French.
Elementary Classes (Grades 1 to 6)
During elementary years, students acquire basic language skills in reading and writing in English, Arabic and French. Students are also taught art, Bible, computer, math, music, science, and sports.
Intermediate Classes (Grades 7 to 9)
At the intermediate level, students start learning chemistry, life sciences and physics. For those who follow the Lebanese program, social sciences are taught in Arabic. For those who are in the foreign program, social sciences are taught in English. At this level, students are not only prepared to meet the goals of the Brevet curriculum but also get ready for the secondary program and for university. We enrich the mainstream curriculum by including diverse cultural projects, science fairs, and social programs.
Secondary classes (Grades 10 to 12)
During secondary school years, students who follow the Lebanese program prepare for the Official Lebanese exams. At the end of grade 10, they choose to join either the humanities or the scientific section. At the end of grade 11, those who were in the humanities section join the Sociology/Economics branch while those who were in the scientific section join the Life Sciences or General Sciences branch. As for foreign students and students who are exempt from Arabic, they continue studying social sciences in English. At this level, languages (Arabic, English and French), chemistry, civics, economics, geography, history, life sciences, math, philosophy, physics and sociology are taught. Students are prepared for English entrance exams to universities throughout the English lessons.
DELF
DELF (Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française) is an official qualification awarded by the French Institute to certify the competency of candidates from outside France in the French language. In view of the importance of French in Lebanon, GBES prepares its students for the DELF exam. Those who desire to sit for the exam at the French Institute are supported throughout the regular French lessons as well as extra sessions upon need.