IASL NEWSLETTER
December 1999

International Association of School Librarianship (IASL)

http://www.iasl-slo.org/palestine.html

Teaching and Learning in Palestine
Mary Fasheh

Palestine lies on the western edge of Asia with a total area of 6,240 square kilometres. Divided into the West Bank (5,860 sq.km.) and Gaza Strip (380 sg. km.) it has a population of 2,890,631. Sixty-four per cent of the population live in the West Bank while 36 per cent live in the Gaza Strip. The official language is Arabic and the major religion is Islam.

Palestine remained under Israeli occupation for 27 years from 1967 to 1994 until the Palestine National Authority (PNA) gained control of the Palestinian Territories and took responsibility for the education system, which is considered to be the largest public service sector within PNA.

It is unfortunate that the education system has suffered greatly during the occupation period. Its quality declined to its lowest level possible; its infrastructure was wearing out; the school buildings were not maintained and new schools were not built except by the private sector. The schools lacked equipment and materials necessary for the improvement of teaching and learning; in-service training for teachers was limited and pre-service training was inadequate. There was an absence of extra curricular activities and schools were closed for very long periods during the Intifada 1987-1994. Moreover, when PNA took over the responsibility of education there were two educational systems: the Jordanian system in the West Bank, and the Egyptian system in Gaza Strip. This condition has left the PNA, in general, and the Ministry of Education, in particular, with great responsibilities and challenges to manage, unify, and improve the system.

 

Structure of Education

The education system consists of the following cycles:

 

• Pre-primary (KG) cycle caters for the age group of 4-5 year olds and lasts for two years. Local or international non-government agencies and organizations provide for this cycle.

   

• The basic cycle caters for children aged 6-15 years of age and lasts for ten years. The Ministry of Education, United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) and the private sector provide for this cycle.

   

• The secopndary cycle caters for youth aged 16-17 years of age and lasts for two years. There are two types: academic and vocational. The academic is divided into scientific and literary streams while the vocational is divided into four streams -- commerce, industry, agriculture, and nursing.

   

• Post-secondary is vocational in nature and lasts for two years. Higher education lasts for four years or more.

Education at the basic cycle is compulsory and free of charge in government and UNRWA schools, whereas students have to pay tuition fees in private schools. The majority of schools are single sex schools.

The Educational Statistics Yearbooks 1997/1998 shows that there are 2400 schools and 838,499 students in Palestine divided as follows:

 

• 1175 Public schools with 516,160 students,

• 265 UNRWA schools with 199,467 students,

• 171 private schools with 47,840 students,

• 789 KGs with 75,032 students.

The class size ranges between 25 and 46 students. As to school shifts, the census revealed that 2174 schools operate at the morning shift only while 22 schools operate at two shifts (morning and evening) with one administration. two hundred and four schools operate the evening shift only.

 

Curricula

The curricula are compulsory. All approved subjects should be taught. The Ministry of Education defines the subjects and number of hours for each subject, and the subjects are modified on an annual basis. Private schools can teach other subjects in addition to those approved by the Ministry of education on condition the Ministry approves the type and content of the subject. The subjects taught include: Islamic education, Arabic language, English langauge (from grade 5 in the Public and UNRWA and from Grade 1 in private schools), general science, mathematics, social studies, arts and crafts, physical education, music and vocational education. The number of hours for subjects varies from one cycle to another.

 

Teaching Method

The main method used in basic education is the lecture. This is despite instructions issued by the Ministry of Education to develop methods appropriate for modern educational achievements. Performance is evaluated through schools exams, and the main educational tool is the textbook.

Among the obstacles which hinder the improvement and development of teaching methods are: overcrowded classrooms; shortage in libraries, laboratories and sport fields; weaknesses in school curricula compared to developed countries; difference in curricula between West Bank and Gaza Strip; absence of incentives for teachers; need for modern training for teachers and administrators; nonexistent posts of school librarians; limited budget for education although it constitutes 17% of the PNA's budget; limited participation of family and community; lack of electricity in some schools in remote areas.

 

School Libraries

A library division was established at the Ministry of Education on 17 October 1995 to supervise the improvement of school libraries through: enrichment of book collections; provision of necessary furniture; promotion of pleasure reading especially in the first four grades and research and information technology in the higher grades; and provision of training programs in librarianship. School librarian posts do not exist in government and UNRWA schools. Instead, language teachers are asked to be in charge of school libraries, whereby six class periods are deducted from their teaching loads. This release of teaching periods, however, does not exist in all cases.

 

Achievements

Only 23 of the government schools have a library room, and the number of library books per pupil ranges from 0.8 to 4.3. Four hundred and forty four langauge teachers have been trained briefly in librarianship.

Some schools were provided with CDS/ISIS (library software) where a special library room exists and a computer is available. The Saudis have donated 57 computers to the schools.

The library division has distributed library books to schools with library rooms and is promoting educational activities such as: competitions in poetry and fiction; school drama; competitions for best readers; educational games; and book exhibitions.

 

Challenges

The library division, as well as the Ministry of Education, still has several challenges to improve the education system in general and the learning process in particular. Among these challenges are:

 

• prepare a Palestinian curriculum;

• increase the budget;

• establish the post of full-time school librarian;

• train enough school librarians for all schools;

• include library hours in the curricula;

• establish library legislation;

• encourage learning through all forms of educational tools, print, AV media and electronic tools; and

• encourage pleasure reading.

 

Bibliography

Abu-Duhou, I. Education for development in Palestine. Ramallah: Ministry of Education. (Paper)

Development opportunities in the Occupied Territories (West Bank and Gaza Strip) in Education. (1992). Clarksville, Maryland: Policy Research Inc.

Education statistical yearbook 1997/1998. Ramallah: Palestine Central Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Education. (Education Statistics Series 40.

Hashweh, M. (1998). Education and training in Palestine. Ramallah: Ministry of Labour.

PASSIA (1999). Jerusalem: The Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs. The situation of Palestinian school libraries. (1998). Ramallah: Ministry of Education. (Working paper in Arabic).

Information process posters. (1999). ALIA School Libraries Section, NSW>

 

About the Author

Mary Fasheh is currently Head Librarian, at Palestine Economic Policy Research Institure (MAS), Ramallah, Palestine and Regional Director IASL North Africa and Middle East. She holds a masters in School Library Services and has an active interest in children's literature. Mary is a prolific writer, with 19 books on libraries, 13 working papers for conferences, journals and training assignments. Mary was awarded the Noor al-Hussein Foundation on Arab Child's day in Amman, Jordan in 1996 for her accomplishments in the field of librarianship.

Reprinted with permission from the December 1999 issue of the IASL Newsletter, reprinted in turn from Access,, Volume 14, Number 4.