2023/07/17
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Education Under Occupation

The prolonged occupation and the ongoing conflict have jeopardized access to education in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The right to education is continuously undermined by the numerous incidents related to education, such as;

  • Attacks or threats of attacks on schools. 
  • Lost school time due to delays at checkpoints.
  • Military presence at school entrances.
  • Closed military areas.
  • Confiscation of educational materials. 
  • Detention of students and school staff. 
  • Demolish schools and stop-work orders.

Curriculum and Censorship Palestine Education

The prolonged occupation and ongoing conflict have jeopardized access to education in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The right to education is continuously undermined by the numerous incidents related to education, such as; 

  • Attacks or threats of attacks on schools.
  • Lost school time due to delays at checkpoints.
  • Military presence at school entrances.
  • Confiscation of educational materials.
  • Detention of students and school staff, or demolish schools and stop-work orders.

education in Palestine

School Closures as Collective Punishment in Palestine

The process of the continuous closure of educational institutions by the occupation authorities faced increasing international and internal pressures that prompted the occupation authorities to reopen schools in the late 7th of 1989, after a closure that lasted for six months and after three and a half months, The occupation authorities returned and ordered the closure of schools in October A second for two months, then schools reopened in January of 1990, and schools and educational institutions were allowed to reopen gradually.

The continuous closure process, the accompanying arbitrary measures, and collective punishment had a significant impact on the level of academic achievement and performance of the Palestinian people.

Students moved from one class to another without having finished the curriculum for those classes, which contributed to the creation of a large group of uneducated students who were aware of the basics of education necessary for reading.  This policy aimed to threaten the future of education for the Palestinian people, and its impact includes…

1- The educational effect.

2- Social influence.

3- The psychological effect.

4- The economic impact.

Education Challenges and Problems in Palestinian

Education is highly regarded among families across the State of Palestine, with 95.4% of children attending basic education.

Education Situation in West Bank and East Jerusalem

Despite the Palestinian Authority’s awareness of the value and importance of education in Palestine, there are a number of problems facing the education sector in Palestine, including:

  • Overcrowding in classrooms, due to the need in many Palestinian areas to build new schools, and of course, due to the lack of financial support to build schools.
  • An increase in the number of graduate students in specific specializations with a lack of employment, and thus unemployment in the Palestinian market.
  • Lack of demand for vocational education.
  • The problems of education in Jerusalem in terms of the curriculum and control over the schools there.
  • Low salaries for teachers.
  • Loss of motivation to learn among students.

Education Situation in Gaza Strip

Palestinian education in the Gaza Strip has been greatly affected by the conditions of the strict Israeli siege, which has entered its eleventh year in a row, as well as the continuous division between the Fatah and Hamas movements for ten years, and the deterioration in the economic conditions of the population as one of the major consequences of the siege and division that have caused a lot of damage to the Palestinians, especially In Gaza, where the conditions of life are declining day by day.

sponsor a child Palestine

Israeli Targeting Educational Buildings

The education sector, especially schools, were directly targeted by the Israeli occupation during its three wars in the Gaza Strip, especially the last one in the summer of 2014.

The occupation, with its warplanes, destroyed five schools completely, east and north of Gaza, and about 182 schools were partially and severely damaged. The occupation tried to obstruct reconstruction. 55 schools, including the completely destroyed ones, were built after two years of war.

With the beginning of the events of the division, hundreds of teachers refused to work for fear that their salaries would be cut, especially since a presidential decree was issued by the Palestinian Authority to prevent working in ministries and government institutions after the Hamas movement took control of them in June 2007.

However, with the passage of months and years, a large number of teachers returned, especially after 2011 and the signing of the reconciliation agreement in Cairo, and these teachers worked alongside new teachers appointed by Hamas, and the same was true of the health sector and important government service sectors.

Palestine students suffer from Dropouts

The extent of dropouts in Palestinian schools varies from year to year and from region to region, but the general trend of this phenomenon is decreasing, as the total number of dropouts reached 15,148 male and female students in 1999/2000, and decreased to 9,395 male and female students in 2003/2004, with a rate of 38% decrease.

 At first glance, it appears that the dropout rates in Palestinian schools are low, but the extent of the problem appears if it is viewed from a cumulative perspective, as we find that the number of students who have dropped out has reached 158,000 during the period between 1994-2004. The vast majority of students have dropped out of the upper basic stage, specifically from the tenth grade. The percentage of dropouts from the tenth grade is about 3% of the total number of students.

Children Face Behavioral Problems in Palestine

In this section, we will talk about some of the behavioral problems that children face in Palestine.

Palestine is a country that suffers from many problems. There are many behavioral problems in Palestine, and the government should do more about them. Palestinian society has been affected by the occupation, which is why Palestinians have become more attentive and anxious.

The occupation has also changed the way Palestinians treat each other, for example, by causing an increase in domestic violence. Occupation has made people feel insecure, which has led to increased crime rates.

Palestinian children also suffer from other problems, which are:

  • Children in Palestine do not get enough opportunities to engage in physical activities. Either they are too busy with their studies, or they don’t have any form of entertainment. This lack of physical activity can lead to obesity and other health problems later in life.
  • Palestinian children have a lot of free time on their hands, which can be used for constructive purposes, but they often waste this by watching TV or playing video games excessively. This can lead to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety later in life.

Behavioral Problems in Palestine

Funding for Education Sector in Palestine

Palestine has a below-average level of education. This is due to the lack of funding for the sector. Education is one of the leading sectors in Palestine that needs more funding.

The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) is responsible for providing education to all Palestinians. The MOEHE’s budget was $62 million in 2015, which had a significant impact on the quality and quantity of education provided in Palestine.

Education is one of the leading sectors in Palestine that needs more funding because it has a significant impact on the quality and quantity of education provided in Palestine.

 

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FAQ

Does Palestine Have a Good Education?

The Palestinian national education rate in the West Bank and Gaza Strip ranked second in 2006 according to the international classification, reaching 91.2%, while the education rate for both genders (aged 15-24) came to 98.2%.

What Does Education Look Like in Palestine?

In Palestine’s education system, compulsory basic education includes Grades 1 to 10 and this is divided into the preparatory stage (Grades 1 to 4) and the empowerment stage (Grades 5 to 10). Secondary education (general secondary education and a few vocational secondary schools) covers Grades 11 and 12.

Where Does Palestine Rank in Education?

The UN’s education index, taken from the UN’s mean years of schooling index and expected years of schooling index, also reflected Palestine’s achievement with an index of 0.88, ranking it best in the Arab world.

What Problems Is Palestine Facing?

Violent attacks from illegal Israeli settlers, death and injuries at protests, and the frequent destruction of homes and infrastructure.

How to Sponsor Students in Palestine?

The sponsor can be provided by making a direct donation to Palestinian universities.