Ednet: What is the nature of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) assistance to Palestinian education?
'Umar Dawudi ('UD): In 1980 the UNDP's Special Program of Assistance to the Palestinian People was started. We could not work directly in the Territories until 1986, when we opened our East Jerusalem office. Our Gaza branch office was opened two years ago. The UNDP provides services in several fields: health, agriculture, industry and education. Between 1986 and 1993 the education sector received special UNDP interest. Until 1991 we concentrated on building government schools in cities and on assistance in construction of and additions to some private schools. Our philosophy is based on the fact that government schools were (and still are) the responsibility of the municipal councils. According to the Jordanian law, which was applied by the Israeli Civil Administration, local authorities have to build the schools while the central government furnishes and equips them and pays the teachers' salaries. However, municipalities in Arab cities often suffered from lack of funds and therefore, after needs assessment and coordination with the (Israeli) Directorate of Education and the PLO in Tunis, we built the schools. We also wholly or partially funded education workshops in Bir Zeit, al-Najah, Hebron, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem Open University.
In 1992 our program policy changed, not regarding construction, but regarding location; building schools in rural Palestinian areas became a principle condition, in addition to the condition that there should be schools for girls. We concentrate on those areas in which students have to walk long distances to get to the closest school; or areas where schools had more than one shift, or very overcrowded classes. We established schools in the areas of Tulkaram, Jenin and Nablus.
Ednet: What was the nature of UNDP relations with the Israeli authorities?
'UD: The problems emerged mainly with building permits for schools in rural areas, where a permit can take up to two years to obtain. In cities there were no such problems because the Arab municipalities granted the permits. For example, since 1992 we have been trying to obtain a permit for the building of three schools in rural areas around Hebron, so far to no avail. Our relations with the (Israeli) Offices of Education were always very good; they would provide furniture, educational materials and teachers.
Ednet: Does the UNDP work with local educational NGO's?
'UD: Palestinian and foreign educational organizations have interests such as curricula and early childhood development, while our main interest is school construction. We do have some shared activities such as workshops. We also try not to overlap with other UN agencies; presently we are cooperation with them on the subject of Palestinian curricula.
Ednet: Will there be any changes in UNDP policies under the new authority?
'UD: We used to build schools in coordination with Palestinian community leaders; now there is a government and a Ministry of Education (MoE). Our policy is not to lay a single stone without the request and agreement of the MoE, and to change our program according to requests from the Ministry. In other words, the Ministry will determine the spending of UNDP funds for support of education.
Elaine Clark
Educational Network, POB 66, Ramallah, West Bank
tel: 02 995 6230/fax: 02 995 6231 e-mail: eclark@ednet.birzeit.edu