The land on which St. Mary’s Catholic High School, Dubai stands is the kind courtesy of then dynamic Ruler, His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Under the guidance, determination and foresight of the founding father, Father Eusebius Daveri, St. Mary’s Catholic School was born in 1968, in a little classroom, with 30 students and a handful of teachers. On 15th August 1968, Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, Father Bamba, an Army Chaplain, in the presence of Father Eusebius and the community blessed the foundation stone for the school project. The school was ready for the next academic year. Children were enrolled and the number of teachers increased. Mrs. Lucy Hoadley, an Irish Catholic lady, was the first Headmistress.
In 1970, the right wing of the school building was completed. Expansion and growth was clearly evident. The standard of the school was raised to High School and in 1971 was recognised as a Centre for the London University GCE Examinations at Ordinary Levels. Mrs. Julia Thomas the then Headmistress worked very hard in achieving this goal.
As the school was expanding rapidly, Father Eusebius was promised nuns to help him in the running of the school. Each year the number of applicants increased. The excellent results of the O Level exams encouraged Father Eusebius to start the Advanced Level Classes. Under the guidance of the British Council, on 15th August 1976, on the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, for the third time, the foundation stone for the Laboratory and four Advanced Level classrooms was blessed.
1972 summoned another change in administration. Sheila Mukerji was appointed as the new headmistress, and the curriculum broadened. For the first time, Physics and Chemistry were offered at O Level.
1977 saw the winds of change with the arrival of the Combini Sisters – Sister Daniella, followed by Sister Fosca, Sister Mariangela, Sister Idangela and Sister Eliana in 1978. The baton of responsibility was passed into the able and dynamic hands of Sister Fosca Berardi, who was already working in the field of education. The school grew in leaps and bounds, ensuring high levels of academic achievement for the students. St. Mary’s Catholic High School, Dubai was a renowned institution not just in the Middle East but worldwide.
By 1988, 20 years after the opening of the school, there were 1942 students on roll and 85 staff.144 students sat for their GCE ‘O’ Levels and 108 for their ‘A’ Levels. As a result of the high academic standards set, the Dubai Municipality honoured St. Mary’s with the ‘Best School’, award, and London University selected it to set the standard for the GCE examination grades. The hard work of both students and teachers were reflected through the results. This has always been the hallmark of the school.
1993, the Silver Jubilee Year, with 2200 students on roll, a staff of 92 and a glowing reputation of high academic standards, St. Mary’s Catholic High School had much to be proud of and thankful for.
Sister Beatrice G. Mariotti, a young, modern and charismatic Comboni Sister took over the reign as headmistress of this great institution in 2001, until 2005 when Sister Annemarie Quigg took over. During her tenure the school saw a lot of modernization as well as confronting the challenges of the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau.
The Patrician Brothers, the present torchbearers of a legendary institution like St. Mary’s Catholic High School took over the responsibility of this great legacy in September 2013. At the helm we have Brother Joseph M. Joseph, supported by Brother Paul.
We pray that this great institution continues to be blessed with the source of light and knowledge molding the tender minds and lives of the students entrusted to it into Global Citizens. We continue to endeavor to develop every student’s spiritual, intellectual, emotional, physical and artistic potential. We strive to develop and produce independent, critical thinkers who are responsible global citizens, capable of leading productive and meaningful lives.