Palestinian Education

"An Introduction"

During the Intifada, there has been a significant drop in education due to prolonged school closures, strikes, curfews and other disruptions: Palestinian children lost 35-50% of school days in 1988-92.

Overcrowding due to a lack of schools, equipment and teachers and the returnees from Kuwait and the Gulf have forced almost half of UNRWA classes in the West Bank and 70% in Gaza to operate double shifts (morning and afternoon classes).

The Palestinian Council for Higher Education (est. 1997) was the body responsible for Palestinian educational affairs until 29 August 1994 when the education authorities were transferred from the Israeli military civil administration to the PNA Ministry of Education, of which the PCHE became a part.

Curricula:

West Bank schools follow the Jordanian curriculum and Gaza schools the Egyptian but with both significantly affected by censorship and limitations imposed by Israeli occupation authorities. Some private schools also offer British and French examinations. Since the curricula are considered old fashioned and not appropriate to the societal needs and interest of the students, many educators have expressed the need for radical change.

The PNA Ministry of Education is forming a new Palestinian curriculum including changes in direction, content and design. The coordinator of the PNA Curriculum Program, Fathiya Nasru, announced in October 1994 that the new curriculum will consist of an updated 13 subjects used in the Jordanian model and 2 new subjects offering classes in civics and Palestinian society to raise professional, commercial, social, industrial, environmental awareness etc.

Vocational Training:

Since the early 1990s, there has been an effort to promote vocational training. Vocational centers are run by UNRWA, charitable and women organizations, the YMCA, YWCA, YMMA, YWMA, and NGOs. They teach secretarial and computer skills, electronics, languages, embroidery and other crafts.

Higher Education:

Higher education facilities consist of eight universities, community colleges and educational projects (e.g. Mawrid Teacher's Development Center, Center for Applied Research in Education, UNICEF Basic Education Programme, and Bethlehem University's Science Resource Center).

Universities in Palestine:

Al-Azhar University (Gaza)

Bethlehem University

Bir Zeit University

Hebron University

Islamic University (Gaza)

An-Najah National University, (Nablus

Al-Quds University (Jerusalem)

Universities are independent institutions, funded by donations and student fees, admitting students generally on the basis of Tawjihi results. The Universities offer 4-year undergraduate programmes leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of science (Bsc). Total no. of institution offering bachelors degrees: 10 (7 universities, 3 colleges). Meanwhile, there are also some courses leading to a MA degree (e.g. in International Relations at Bir Zeit University).

The following are some statistics about Education in Palestine as compiled by the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics (PCBS):

Distribution of Students by Region, Gender and Supervising Authority in 1996/1997

 
*Does not include Municipality and Culture Committee Schools in Annexed Jerusalem

Distribution of Teachers in Schools
by Qualification, Gender and Region in 1996/1997

 
*Does not include Municipality and Culture Committee Schools in Annexed Jerusalem

 

Courtesy:Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs (PASSIA)

Statistics:Palestine Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS)