Representatives of public and private education sector in the Gaza Strip, called on Sunday to establish clear mechanisms to ensure the integration of the needs of education sector in the reconstruction process. They stressed the need to take action to ensure a comprehensive reconstruction and development of the education sector and the education institutions in the Gaza Strip.
The representatives drew attention to the need to work for the building of new schools in the Gaza Strip, to put an end to double shift schools which negatively impact the quality of education and the academic achievement of the students. They spotlighted the need to control the kindergartens of the Gaza Strip, to ensure the improvement of the quality, efficiency and integration of education.
This happened in a workshop organized by the ''Education sector'' of the Palestinian NGO's Network, under the title "Ensuring Participation of Education Sector in Gaza Strip Reconstruction" within the project of "Proactive engagement of civil society in Gaza Construction process" , in cooperation with the civil society program in the GIZ and PNGO. Representatives of Ministry of Education, Ministry of Culture, Universities and Teachers' Union, were involved in the workshop.
Emad Hattab, education sector coordinator in the Palestinian NGO's Network, reviewed a factsheet on the impacts of the Israeli occupation's offensive of summer 2014 on the education sector in the Gaza Strip.
The fact-sheet was prepared by the education sector in the Palestinian NGO's Network. It included the occupation's deliberately targeting of the Palestinian children and teachers as well as educational facilities, and the devastating psychological impacts of the occupation's practices on the students in the light of the continued blockade and internal division.
Hattab called upon the Palestinian government and donors to integrate the needs of the education sector in the reconstruction process. He stressed the need to activate the efforts for reconstruction within a comprehensive integrated vision that considers the human as a pillar of its work.
Hattab pointed out that ''the Palestinian teachers and students creative to the extent that is enough to achieve highest records in the arenas of confrontation and the various work and construction areas.'' This is reflected in the achievements of Hanan al-Hroub; the Palestininan teacher who won the global teacher prize for the year 2016.
Mohammed Faris, representative of the Ministry of Higher Education, stated that his ministry exerts greatest efforts to ensure a qualitative education through a coordination between the ministries and the various educational institutions.
He said, "the ministry works within its capabilities to progress the education level and computerize the schools. It also focuses on active education and learning through play."
The participants, at the end of the workshop, stressed their rejection of the international mechanism of monitoring the entry of construction materials into the Gaza Strip. They demanded to pressure the Israeli occupation to lift the unjust siege on the Gaza Strip and allow the flow of the construction and reconstruction materials and requirements.
They stressed the need to adopt an educational vision linked to a national project that seeks development at all including the political, economical, social and cultural levels, and takes into account the needs of the Palestinian people.
They emphasized the need to strive towards providing a legal environment for teachers and spare the educational corps any political disputes.
The participants focused on the need to build the capacity of teachers and develop their skills, strengthen the relationship between the educational institutions and the Ministry of Education, as well as activate the channels of communication, coordination, and cooperation between the civil society organizations to develop the Palestinian education.
They called to pressure on the parties of internal division to end the state of division and achieve reconciliation and national unity including the unity of educational system.