Ramallah- Ma’an- The Ministry of Education and Higher Education held today the regular meeting of the sectoral group for the education sector.

The meeting was attended by Minister Dr. Amjad Barham, Head of the UNESCO Office in Palestine Lily Helo, Representative of Ireland to Palestine Philam McGilligan, Undersecretary of Education Dr. Nafie Assaf, representatives of international partner and support institutions, and ministry staff.

The meeting addressed the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, its massive impact on the educational infrastructure, the restrictions on curricula and education in Jerusalem, and the attacks of settler gangs on educational institutions, students and teachers in the West Bank, as well as the plans developed by the ministry to confront these challenges in cooperation with supporters from national and international partner institutions.

In his speech, Barham stressed that the Israeli aggression has led to the destruction of many schools and universities, which doubles th
e need for rapid and effective interventions to ensure the continuity of education. He presented the ministry’s vision to save the school year in Gaza, in cooperation with UNESCO, UNICEF and national partner institutions, by implementing virtual schools and distance learning programs, which have proven to be very successful in helping Gazan students, especially those in Egypt.

The Minister stressed that the resumption of education for Gaza students carries a profound message, pointing at the same time to the efforts made to improve the quality of education and develop new strategies, noting that the government has increased the education budget, which will contribute to improving educational conditions and supporting teachers and students.

For his part, Magligen stressed his country’s firm commitment to supporting the education sector in Palestine, especially in light of the major challenges it faces, and continuing to provide technical and financial support to ensure the continuation of the educational pro
cess and improve educational conditions, adding that education is a basic right for every child, and that it is necessary to enhance cooperation with all partners to ensure that students receive quality and sustainable education.

For her part, Helo stressed the importance of joint work and supporting the efforts made by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to achieve quality and sustainable education, noting the importance of joint work with all partners to provide a safe educational environment for all students, especially in light of the current challenges. The

meeting reviewed the ongoing efforts to develop education in Palestine, and the importance of collective work to confront current challenges and achieve the goals of sustainable education, with a focus on enhancing students’ capabilities and ensuring their right to quality education.

The meeting included interventions from the participants who presented suggestions on coordination and follow-up mechanisms to implement what was proposed,
where the importance of continuous cooperation between local and international educational institutions was emphasized to achieve the desired goals. There were presentations that focused on several axes presented by Dr. Assaf, Sadiq Al-Khudour, Dr. Hassan Abu Zaher, Dr. Iman Al-Najjar, and Samir Jabra.

Source: Maan News Agency