Skip to main content

Palestinian Education Methods Require Revamp

Palestinian teaching methods are antiquated and in need of an upgrade to improve the quality of education, Rana Baker writes from Gaza.
Palestinian students share a schoolbook while studying in the school library in the West Bank city of Ramallah February 4, 2013. Israelis and Palestinians depict each other in schoolbooks as an enemy and largely deny their adversary's history and existence, according to a U.S. government-funded study published on Monday. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman (WEST BANK - Tags: POLITICS EDUCATION) - RTR3DCH6

According to the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics, the illiteracy rate in Gaza and the West Bank for persons aged 15 years and over was 4.7% in 2011; this is an average of 4.5% in Gaza and 4.9% in the West Bank. Illiteracy rates have been dropping since 1995, signaling an improvement in both the standard of living, and governmental support among other factors. In fact, literacy rates in the Palestinian Territories are among the highest in the world.

However, these percentages are not indicative of a successful education system. Being literate neither guarantees the completion of basic and higher education nor the quality of education. Compared to security, funds allocated to the education sector remain embarrassingly low. Of the $890 million Hamas-prepared Gaza budget for 2013, only 10% is expected to be invested in education compared to 30% in security.

The Palestinian education system relies heavily on traditional means of teaching where students are silent receivers. In line with worldwide trends, sharing the learning experience with a wider audience using social-networking websites, technology and the internet have become an imperative. But Internet-empowered technology and computer systems are hardly employed in any of Gaza's schools. The internet continues to be stressed as a source of distraction rather than a platform to develop a broader outlook on all kinds of subjects.

Although technology is a basic subject at public and private schools alike, it continues to be presented in theoretical terms. The topics discussed in this subject range from information systems to engineering, and even carpentry. Naturally, these topics stress practical applications and experiments, but students do nothing beyond memorizing the theories so as to answer the questions in the exam.

Study visits are also lacking and considered to be optional activities which no school seems to apply. "We do not go on study visits," said Mayada al-Shuafa, a 14-year-old secondary school student, in a phone interview. "On the margins of our books," she continued, "there are instructions for our teachers to take us to factories, but they do not take us."

But Marwan Sharaf, the vice chairman of Measurement and Evaluation at the Gaza-based Ministry of Education and Higher Education, does not agree that applied teaching methods are inadequate.

"Our schools, in the West Bank and Gaza alike, follow modern teaching and evaluation methods," he said, adding that "we train our teachers and design the activities according to the needs of our students."

The "methods," Sharaf announced, include "brainstorming sessions, discussion, work teams, and problem-solving techniques."

However, when I asked several primary and secondary school students about whether they have ever participated in one or more of these methods, the students denied Sharaf’s statements.

Isra Migdad, a recent graduate of Business Administration from the Hamas-affiliated Islamic University and former member of the Student Council, thinks that the university "is trying to apply some good teaching methodologies," but that they are "very slow" and "need to be faster."

Although books and study materials are continuously updated, the content itself is usually irrelevant to the Palestinian context. For example, Business Administration and Accounting study materials are entirely American and hardly highlight the Palestinian economic, business, and accounting problems.

"I think that our university teachers are able to construct business books that suit the Palestinian society," Migdad wrote in an email interview. "This will have," she added, "countless benefits starting from making the students more focused on the economic and business problems their society faces to applying the theories they learn and bringing solutions to them."

Following the bloody infighting between Hamas and Fatah in 2007, Hamas assumed full control over all government institutions in the Gaza Strip leaving those in the West Bank under the control of the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority. It seems, however, that education is the sector that is least affected by the internal rift.

"We do not feel that there is gap between our ministry and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in the West Bank," Sharaf asserted, "we are continuously communicating with them to organize our work in a unified form."

Educational institutions in Gaza and the West Bank function according to a unified curricula. Schedules of senior examinations are also determined by both sides, and their results announced at the same time.

The issue of the imposition of religious education has also come to light with Hamas' rise to power. Many people accuse Hamas of focusing on religious subjects while disregarding scientific courses. As a matter of fact, there is only one religious subject for every grade, every year. Christians are not obliged to attend the subject's classes and are exempted from undertaking Islamic religion exams. In addition, there are three Christian schools in Gaza: the Greek Orthodox School, the Latin Patriarchate School, and the Rosary Sisters' School. Muslim students are free to enroll in any of these schools.

During the first years of its rule, Hamas imposed the Islamic dress code on all female students. However, the decision did not last and was overturned shortly after its brief implementation. Today, girls are not obliged to put on a head scarf or abide by any dress code — except that of the school uniform — in order to go to school. Educational institutions are interested in a healthy mental, emotional and physical upbringing of the children, says Sharaf.

Despite this, everyone in Gaza seems to be satisfied with the Ministry's newest proposal. The Ministry of Education has decided to teach Hebrew language in some of its schools as part of a trial program. According to the Ministry, the decision to teach Hebrew language came because many medical and commercial documents are usually written in Hebrew, and because Israeli products with Hebrew packaging fill the market.

Rana Baker, 21, is a student of Business Administration in Gaza. She writes for the Electronic Intifada.

Join hundreds of Middle East professionals with Al-Monitor PRO.

Business and policy professionals use PRO to monitor the regional economy and improve their reports, memos and presentations. Try it for free and cancel anytime.

Already a Member? Sign in

Free

The Middle East's Best Newsletters

Join over 50,000 readers who access our journalists dedicated newsletters, covering the top political, security, business and tech issues across the region each week.
Delivered straight to your inbox.

Free

What's included:
Our Expertise

Free newsletters available:

  • The Takeaway & Week in Review
  • Middle East Minute (AM)
  • Daily Briefing (PM)
  • Business & Tech Briefing
  • Security Briefing
  • Gulf Briefing
  • Israel Briefing
  • Palestine Briefing
  • Turkey Briefing
  • Iraq Briefing
Expert

Premium Membership

Join the Middle East's most notable experts for premium memos, trend reports, live video Q&A, and intimate in-person events, each detailing exclusive insights on business and geopolitical trends shaping the region.

$25.00 / month
billed annually

Become Member Start with 1-week free trial
What's included:
Our Expertise

Memos - premium analytical writing: actionable insights on markets and geopolitics.

Live Video Q&A - Hear from our top journalists and regional experts.

Special Events - Intimate in-person events with business & political VIPs.

Trend Reports - Deep dive analysis on market updates.

We also offer team plans. Please send an email to pro.support@al-monitor.com and we'll onboard your team.

Already a Member? Sign in