Op-Ed: Our future depends on education ..

Director of the Center for Educational Studies and Applications / CARE

Understanding any problem requires, in advance, self-conviction of its existence, which will expedite and facilitate finding a solution, away from personalization and the use of conspiracy theory.

The worst and easiest option is to adopt the giraffe approach, otherwise known as burying its head in the sand, as if all is well.

We as a Palestinian society, with all its groups and classes, have been living in a state of loss and deterioration for decades, perhaps one of its reasons – in addition to the closure of the political horizon, is the absence of an explicit confrontation with oneself.

Perhaps the most prominent features of this deterioration are the cracks in the civil peace system and the accelerating decline in the level of values and morals. And since the largest percentage of our society is the youth group (male and female), the vast majority of them are in school (kindergartens, schools, community colleges and universities).

This haste does not aim to delve into all the causes. Rather, we look forward here to delving into the desired educational and educational role, since any outcome, positive or negative, of the educational educational system affects everyone, regardless of economic class or social group, and this effect may last for a while. .

In light of the unreassuring political situation for many years, and the many pandemics and afflictions that accompanied it, (swine flu, bird flu, the Corona pandemic that killed thousands of people, not to mention the negative effects of vaccinations against it and the many psychological, social and economic effects that followed, then The recent teachers' strike came, this long-running strike and the latest controversy in society and official and civil institutions. All of this requires the search for well-thought-out and implementable strategies and plans, provided they are subject to serious evaluation and evaluation, not reactions to confront / mitigate the severity of the repercussions of the pandemics and tribulations mentioned above. Here we strive to present the following as a matter of responsible participation:

* Transforming schools into neighborhood clubs so that adolescents can be occupied and their vacancy filled with informal educational activities, as it is inconceivable that the role of the school building, which cost no less than a million dollars on average, be limited to only from seven thirty to one hour One in the afternoon, they return to work the next morning. These targeted groups take the initiative to plan and implement activities that they choose themselves, since the people of Makkah know better about its paths, and under the auspices of educational and experienced mentors with knowledge of the possible and the difficult, and I do not say the impossible. Initiatives that respond to the hobbies and needs of young people, not Especially in an atmosphere of family disintegration for many reasons (in addition to the deteriorating political situation, which is represented by the perpetual occupation of the homeland, the confiscation of its natural wealth, the suppression of freedoms, the high unemployment rate, especially among graduates, and the Corona pandemic and the resulting increase in the level of domestic violence, then came the students’ discontinuation from going to schools Because of the teachers' strike, which lasted for nearly seventy-five school days (about 500 lessons, noting that the average academic year in the best cases is 210 days without holidays and official holidays, i.e. students lost about a third of the school year), this strike that left an educational loser and an educational loser Large, requires comprehensive strategies and plans that are carefully studied, in the hope that what can be compensated can be compensated. We suggest here that the responsibility for managing and managing the work of these clubs be shared between the relevant ministries: the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, provided that a distinct role is given to the Youth and Sports Council and volunteers from parents' councils.

* We are in a state of educational and educational emergency. There is a need to work and activate the role of the family with more cooperation between the three sides of the educational process. So that the family can spend more time with the children together by practicing activities and events inside and outside the home, with the need to avoid intimidation, threats, exclusion, reprimand and reprimand.
* Raising self-esteem among members of the targeted group, with planned work to develop responsible partnership towards society and self, and taking responsibility for decision-making.

* It is not superfluous to say that one of the obstacles to achieving and accomplishing the aspired national goal represented in defeating the occupation and building the strong state with independent national sovereignty and living freely, is not only the occupation, the expansion of building settlements, the confiscation of more lands, the demolition of homes, and the rush of Arab regimes to normalize with the other, but rather Also, the failure to review, evaluate and professionally evaluate the existing educational educational system at all levels and age groups, because our society needs a system that responds to psychological, economic, social and political needs. I conclude here by saying that we are enough of silence, secludedness, and perpetual chanting by saying that “it is all perfect.” The time has come, in light of the decline in the educational and moral level, and the negative and dire repercussions of that on civil peace due to several factors. The time has come for us to be the masters of our thoughts and decisions, and let it be the first step. Starting with the formation of regional people’s councils as a kind of social responsibility towards education, and not limiting this responsibility only to collecting donations and building schools, while making the field open to all Palestinians for responsible participation and constructive criticism without prejudice or confiscating the right to freedom of thought and expression.

* The necessity of activating the role of school libraries and finding a qualified staff to supervise and manage the school library.

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