The State (and non-State) of Palestinian Education Development (original) (raw)
Related papers
Presented at the MESA Annual Conference, 2020
Control of education in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) was transferred from the Israeli Civil Administration to the Palestinian National Authority in 1994. Scholarship covering the education situation in the OPT in the lead up and immediate aftermath of this shift generally falls into two categories: education policy reports and historical accounts. In the policy category, scholars typically have focused on the idea of "quality" education but have dehistoricized "quality" as an objective term rather than as an inherently local, political, and temporally malleable development concept. Meanwhile, in the history category, many historians have uncritically adopted value-laden education language when describing the historical logistics of Palestinian education, unwittingly reifying the "west knows best" mentality of international development while also failing to account for the wide variety of organizations and peoples involved in the educational reality of the territories. In other words, most literature on late twentieth century Palestinian education has failed to recognize that "notions of knowledge" cannot be "disconnected" from the power structures that devised them. Thus, this paper aims to bridge and critique these two bodies of Palestinian education literature by using a historical lens to trace the many changing visions of education held by the wide variety of stakeholders who had a hand in developing Palestinian education through the 1980s and 1990s. In order to paint a comprehensive picture, this paper draws upon original research conducted in the UNESCO and World Bank archives. This research explores how the various education ideologies complemented, contradicted, and competed to shape the complicated terrain of the Palestinian education system. It also adds to the growing body of literature that challenges the underlying assumptions of development ideologies and organizations.
Educational Reform in Post-Accord Palestine: A synthesis of Palestinian perspectives
2002
Education is central to the preservation and success of any society, including that of the Palestinians. With the signing of the Peace Accords in 1993, Palestinians now have their rst opportunity in nearly 500 years to control and develop their own educational system, a system that will better meet the needs of the Palestinians than those nations who have controlled the Palestinians for so many years. With this singular opportunity, the questions now becomes one of determining the nature of this educational system, one uniquely tted to preserve and promote Palestinian society. The purpose of this study was to examine ideas from Palestinians about what they thought their educational system should be and what core values should inform its creation and development. Through information gathered in semi-structured interviews, a portrait begins to emerge about what Palestinians think their schools and educational processes should look like, what barriers present themselves to the realization of their ideas, and what the solutions may be to remove these barriers.
Educide amid conflict: the struggle of the Palestinian education system
Emerald Publishing Limited , 2025
This paper aims to examine the devastating effects of the ongoing conflict in Gaza on its education system, a phenomenon termed “Educide”. The study documents the systematic destruction of educational infrastructure, including schools and universities, as well as the targeted killing of students and educators, which impedes current and future access to education. The paper argues that this deliberate dismantling of Gaza’s educational institutions aims to erase Palestinian culture, identity and resilience, thus hindering any prospects for SDG4. The authors emphasize the urgent need for international accountability and support to rebuild Gaza’s education sector, preserving its role in societal development, identity preservation and human rights.
Palestinian Education in Israel: The Legacy of the Military Government
Holy Land Studies: A Multidisciplinary Journal, Vol. 5 (1), pp.21-56., 2006
This essay analyses the ways in which the military government (1948)(1949)(1950)(1951)(1952)(1953)(1954)(1955)(1956)(1957)(1958)(1959)(1960)(1961)(1962)(1963)(1964)(1965)(1966) and its policies positioned the Palestinian Arab community in Israeli society, with a particular focus on public education. The educational system for the Palestinian Arab community developed within the context of military government, and while the formal administrative structures have changed, the legacy of using education as a tool for political purposes has endured and continues to defi ne the educational experience of indigenous Palestinian Arab students in Israel today. Despite the formal abolition of the military government in the mid-sixties, its ongoing legacy continues to shape educational policy and practice, as well as the broader status of the Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel.
Non-formal education in Palestine : a response to school exclusion
1998
This research investigated the past relationship between the formal education and nonformal educational systems in Palestine as a basis for considering what form the relationship may take in the future. The study was based on the initial understanding that within the field of study and practice of continuing education, non-formal education has been conceptualised as having a particular role to play in producing a more equitable society. The study was undertaken at a significant political moment. Non-formal educational institutions and programmes had flourished when, under Israeli occupation, much formal education provision was restricted. Palestinian non-formal education played a significant role in resistance to Israeli occupation and in the Intifada (1987-1994). In 1993, with the signing of the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principle on Interim Self Government, the geo-political context for the Palestinian people and Palestinian institutions changed and a transitional nationa...
Israeli Education Policy since 1948 and the State of Arab Education in Israel
This paper analyses Israeli policy towards Arab education in Israel and its consequences. Drawing upon literature on the colonial nation-state, and ethnic indigenous minorities, the study distinguishes three educational policy shifts since 1948: (1) Arab education under military administration until 1966 (2) the policy of integration 1967-1991 (3) the peace process since 1992, the quest for autonomy and Arab education’s present ‘on hold’ status. Using the analytical framework suggested by Hodgson and Spours (2006), I first analyse political eras; then describe the state of the education system, the policy-making process and its consequences for the educational space and system outcomes. These concepts and methods are used to narrate historical developments of the Palestinian Arab education system in Israel, to critique state policy-making and identify future challenges. The findings demonstrate contingent relations between ethnicity and the state. The paper concludes by discussing existing educational policies and suggesting recommendations for the future.
This paper analyses Israeli policy towards Arab education in Israel and its consequences. Drawing upon literature on the colonial nation-state, and ethnic indigenous minorities, the study distinguishes three educational policy shifts since 1948: (1) Arab education under military administration until 1966 (2) the policy of integration 1967-1991 (3) the peace process since 1992, the quest for autonomy and Arab education's present 'on hold' status. Using the analytical framework suggested by Hodgson and Spours (2006), I first analyse political eras; then describe the state of the education system, the policy-making process and its consequences for the educational space and system outcomes. These concepts and methods are used to narrate historical developments of the Palestinian Arab education system in Israel, to critique state policy-making and identify future challenges. The findings demonstrate contingent relations between ethnicity and the state. The paper concludes by discussing existing educational policies and suggesting recommendations for the future.
International Conference: Education and Conflict. Perspectives from Israel/Palestine
conference program, 2010
With this conference, the Georg-Eckert-Institute pursues a dual path strategy: While we explicitly wish to work with both sides simultaneously, we are aware of the varying conditions under which the education systems on both sides operate, and of their specific problems and needs. We are convinced that the ongoing conflict is among the most crucial factors that influence education both in Israel and in the Occupied Territories, albeit in different ways. The conference will last 2 full working days, with one day dedicated to education in Israel, and one to education in Palestine. The conference language will be English. We wish to stress that this conference is not aimed at forcing Israelis and Palestinians to engage in common work against their own will, in order to please Europeans. Rather, we would like to focus on the differences and similarities that structure the educational process on both sides, in order to be able to develop pragmatic strategies for effectively engaging with partners in the region in a way that suits the realities on the ground.
An Historical Review of Educational Policy f or the Arab- Palestinian Population in Israel
2013
Introduction Some of the most important issues in the history and sociology of education for minorities are the relationships between education and policy and between education and social change. In this context, a number of central questions frequently arise: Is education a factor in modernization or preservation? Is education a source of power for minorities, or an instrument for the dominant group to rule over the weaker groups? What is the function of colonial education? Do political and historical processes influence the educational system? Some of these questions will be addressed by an examination of the Arab-Palestinian educational system from a factual, chronological perspective in order to understand the historical dynamics that have impacted this educational system. These influences are categorized by the following theoretical approaches: the positivistic, the conflictual and the colonial model. Hence, this paper aims to outline the components of these approaches and thei...
Building the Quality of Education in the Conflict Situations Within the Palestinian Education System
LANGGAM International Journal of Social Science Education, Art and Culture
This paper begins with an effort to build the quality of education in the Palestinian Ministry of Education's 2017-2022 Strategic Plan for Education. From these efforts, the Palestinian Ministry of Education agreed to the design of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals program, especially regarding quality education. This is seen in the target to be achieved to ensure equal access by 2030 to all levels of education and vocational training for marginalized groups, including people with disabilities. Through qualitative methods, the data collection technique used is library research for primary data obtained from the Strategic Plan for Education 2017-2022 by the Palestinian Ministry of Education and news contained on websites, youtube and journals in the 2017- 2023 range. Secondary data as supporting data is obtained using relevant literature in the form of analysis results or assessment reports from government, private or research institutions. After the review, it was reveal...