During Ottoman rule, education in Jerusalem was centered on religious institutions: Muslim madrasas were tied to mosques and waqf endowments, while Christian and Jewish communities ran their own denominational schools, often backed by foreign churches or philanthropists. European missionary schools—Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox—introduced modern curricula alongside religious instruction. This produced a diverse but divided educational scene, shaped by local traditions and foreign influence.2

Sakakini dreamed of changing this educational reality. He placed great hopes on education as a force for social change toward mobility and modernity. Under the Ottoman rule of Sultan Abdul Hamid II (1876–1909), however, with his restrictions on freedom of expression and autonomy, Sakakini’s vision could not materialize.3

Then came a turning point in July 1908 when the sultan ratified a new constitution granting freedoms across the empire. Sakakini, who was in the United States at the time, decided to return to Jerusalem; he wrote of his excitement in his diaries.

Soon after, he met with Orthodox community leaders, urging the creation of youth associations and educational reform. Although he was enthusiastic, they were hesitant and failed to grasp the importance of his proposals.

By September 1908, Sakakini launched a private Arab evening school for boys in Jerusalem, hoping to expand it into a full school from kindergarten to high school. The project struggled with fundraising, enrollment, and staffing—at first, Sakakini was the only teacher. Though another joined as numbers grew, the school lasted less than a year. It closed in 1909, just as al-Dusturiyya was established.

Palestinians took advantage of the change in the constitution and worked to improve their social, economic, and political situation.5 It was Sakakini’s chance to establish the national private school in Jerusalem, naming it after the Ottoman constitution al-Madrasa al-Dusturiyya al-Wataniyya (the National Constitutional School).6

The school opened in the Musrara neighborhood, north of the Old City of Jerusalem, and consisted of three levels: kindergarten, primary, and secondary.

Sakakini partnered with three of his influential Jerusalemite friends to establish the school: jurist and judge Ali Jar Allah, journalist Afatim Meshbak, and politician and journalist Jamil Khaldi.7

He explained the patriotic motivation behind founding al-Dusturiyya through a public announcement he published in the Jerusalem newspaper Jaridat al-Ittihad al-‘Uthmani on September 7, 1909:

Even before its founding, Sakakini had outlined a clear vision for the school, defining its mission and objectives across the realms of society, nationalism, education, and morality:

Immediately upon its establishment, the school gained a reputation among all denominations in Jerusalem, due to its modern and national character, and comprehensive curriculum. Tuition was five francs for school and 50 francs for kindergarten, which was paid in two installments. The teachers were Christians and Muslims, male and female, in accordance with Sakakini’s commitment to multiculturalism.

Sakakini did not intend to establish another traditional school, which relied on rigid teaching methods, an outdated curriculum, teacher supremacy, and routine violence. According to Mo’ed, “Sakakini saw his school as a starting point from which he could go against the old-fashioned, the traditional, the weak and the immoral.”10

What set al-Dusturiyya apart from other educational institutions of the time was its national and multicultural aspect, which was not under the auspices of any sect or religious institution. While most of the foreign schools in Jerusalem opened their doors to Christian students and teachers only, al-Dusturiyya was open to teachers and students of all denominations without any reservation. Muslim, Christian, and even Jewish students joined. Of that, Sakakini wrote:

Sakakini envisioned his school as a joint project for the administration, teachers, students, and society—a community in which everyone took part and felt a sense of responsibility and belonging. It was a school without attendance records, exams, or homework, which, relative to the Arab education of that time, was a radical characteristic.12 In this light, Sakakini invited the students of al-Dusturiyya to be full active partners in the management of their school, establishing student committees that were authorized to invite parents, and engage with them in discussions “about social life, ethics, and life skills.”13 He also established a newspaper, al-Dustur, which the students produced and edited.

Moreover, Sakakini forbade in his school any form of punishment, whether physical, verbal, mental, or otherwise. He believed in “respecting the student instead of humiliating him,” and in nurturing the student’s emotions and tendencies instead of the use of “deprivation, suppression, neglect.”14

Yousef El-Issa (1870–1948), one of the most prominent and influential journalists during the Colonial British Mandate period, wrote the following after a visit to the school:

Al-Dusturiyya’s curriculum covered Arabic, English, Ottoman, and French, as well as mathematics, geography, history, economics, health, religion, photography, music, and semi-military training. Unlike the rote memorization common in Jerusalem schools, it used modern methods. As Sakakini put it, the goal was “to develop cognitive ability, to expand horizons, and not to compress outdated knowledge into the brain.”16 The curriculum he designed didn’t only emphasize academic achievement, but also values of enlightenment, optimism, courage, and honesty, while rejecting traits like laziness, cowardice, and narrow-mindedness:

Sakakini also introduced physical and creative activities such as daily gymnastics, scout-style training, poetry, and music, making al-Dusturiyya unique among Arab schools in Jerusalem. He also organized field trips across Palestine, encouraging health and vitality while deepening students’ knowledge and connection with nature, geography, history, and archaeology.

Al-Dusturiyya was exposed to constant criticism from directors of the competing Christian mission schools who saw a great degree of freedom and minimal discipline in its manner of conduct. There was also criticism from Muslim school directors who considered it a Christian school because of Sakakini’s denomination. Despite all the criticism, al-Dusturiyya recorded significant success. Its peak period was between 1909 and 1912, with 80 students and 14 male and female teachers.18

Over the years, however, the situation deteriorated, and by October 1912, Sakakini’s school was struggling to survive, prompting him to appeal for public support through the Filastin newspaper. Though he considered closing the school and moving to Cairo or Beirut, he ultimately chose to continue fighting for his educational project. He tried to raise additional funds from the Jerusalem Municipality, through his friend Hussein Salam al-Husseini, and the Orthodox Community Committee, in addition to loans from friends. Other sources of income included teaching Arabic to adults, movie screenings, lottery games, and publishing a local newspaper.19

Following the breakout of World War I in 1914, more financial challenges followed, as his funding from the Jerusalem Municipality ceased due to budgetary cuts. Additionally, his foreign students—mostly English—left, which meant the loss of income from his private lessons. Raising tuition fees was out of the question due to the parents’ poor financial situation. In his diaries, Sakakini notes that the crisis worsened to the point where a “day passed when we ate nothing but bread, grapes and salad. We didn’t eat [a] meat at all.” He had no choice but to turn to the mayor, and other friends, led by Salim al-Husseini, to borrow not only money but also food.20

The school faced another challenge when most teachers were drafted into the army, prompting Sakakini to again consider closing it. However, in November 1914, the school was inadvertently saved by an Ottoman decision to close all foreign schools in Jerusalem, which led many students to transfer to al-Dusturiyya. Sakakini made the necessary arrangements to accommodate the influx of students while maintaining the quality of education, and the school thrived during this period.21