Saint Marys Orthodox College (SMOC)

The historical background of our school has always been rich and deeply rooted in the community and the neighborhood that it serves. After the construction of the Dormition of the Virgin Church around 1890 in West Beirut, two elementary schools were established adjacent to it: one for boys and the other one for girls. The schools were renowned for the impeccable discipline they offered and for catering for the childrens physical and mental growth. In the early days of the Independence, the two schools were considered public schools, and hence, they were under the supervision of the Ministry of Education. Consequently and in order to accommodate for the continuous demand and growing need for education, the girls section was expanded. Later, a mixed school, which the area was most in need of, was established. However, the boys school, which was located in the courtyard of the church, remained at the time under the custody of the Ministry of Education until 1979. In 1979, the boys s...