United Nations Development Programme

Education

Since the beginning of UNDP/PAPP's operations to the present time, support to the Palestinian education sector has been a consistent priority. When operations began in 1982, almost no new schools had been built in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and most of the existing schools were in various states of disrepair, many to the point where the safety of students was endangered. Schools were badly over-crowded, often lacked modern teaching equipment and teachers were poorly trained. Initial emphasis was placed on the repair of damaged schools and construction of new ones, as well as providing up to date teaching equipment and materials.

Since then, major emphasis has been placed on the development of educational institutions, capacity building for vocational training and higher education, rehabilitation and expansion of existing schools, and focusing on girls within the education system. Many rural and urban communities have benefited from UNDP/PAPP's school improvement and expansion programme and the school programme has been complemented by support to the development of the national curriculum, with special emphasis on gender-sensitive curricula and the training of teachers.

Recently, UNDP/PAPP has broadened its support to include all aspects of the Palestinian education system, such as support to the arts in education and focusing on the importance of ICT in schools.

Achievements in Education
UNDP/PAPP has been involved in the construction and rehabilitation of hundreds of schools in the oPt. Dilapidated and damaged schools, including some damaged during the current Intifada have been repaired and renovated and numerous existing schools have been expanded to meet the needs of the students. In some cases, schools have also been provided with improved teaching material and equipment including computers. Teachers have been provided with refresher training in teaching methodologies.

A Palestinian School Network has been established to train teachers and support staff in the use of computer information technology, with over 25 schools currently part of the network. Assistance has been provided to the Palestinian Academy for Gifted Students, as well as for needy university students, through the University Students Emergency Fund (USEF). An Academic Computer Network has been organized that has linked Palestinian universities with international institutions.

An internet-based network (PALESTA) has been established to facilitate an exchange of information among Palestinian scientists and researchers and associates abroad. The network has also facilitated the placement of Palestinian graduates in foreign universities. A joint UNESCO/PAPP kindergarten in Nablus has been established and almost all of UNDP/PAPP's programme units, including LRDP, have participated in the planning and implementation of one or more of the above programmes. At the government level, the Ministry of Higher Education has been assisted with the establishment of an Information Technology Unit.

Impact
Through UNDP/PAPP's efforts in the field of education, thousands of young Palestinians, girls and boys, have been able to attend school for the first time, in a safe educational environment, receiving a high quality education.

The school renovation and construction programme has generated employment for large numbers of unemployed workers - most of whom are heads of families - in areas of the West Bank and Gaza where employment is desperately needed and the student to teacher ratio and the necessity for double or triple shifts have declined.

Donor Support
Since 1994, more than US$20 million has been allocated for educational infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza. The main contributors have been Japan, Korea, USAID and the Islamic Development Bank, among others.