(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The initiative aims at supporting access to education and mitigating the psycho-social effects of armed conflict on the student population in Gaza.
School children in Gaza will soon have a new reason to look up to education. A new programme by Dubai Cares worth Dh11 million will help rebuild classrooms in Gaza.
Highlighting the urgency to deal with the educational issues Tariq Al Gurg CEO of Dubai Cares said: “Palestine’s youngest citizens have suffered severe physical and psychological trauma over the course of the military conflict and the large-scale destruction of the educational infrastructure is going to further impair their future. The time has come for the international community to mobilise resources and ensure that schools have the capability to offer them quality education and that is why we have launched ‘Rebuild Palestine. Start with Education’.”
The initiative aims at supporting access to education and mitigating the psycho-social effects of armed conflict on the student population in Gaza.
The Dubai Cares programme will work in partnership with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
More than 175000 children enrolled in 151 UNRWA schools will receive weekly arts and sports classes led by specialised teachers. These classes will be structured around psycho-social counseling utilising arts and sports. School teachers will also benefit from specialised training to guide them during these classes.
In addition 1620 students in UNRWA schools will receive psycho-social support to develop their coping mechanisms and ease their distress. Individual support plans will be developed between the child and a counsellor to identify specific issues and then formulate a response and allocate resources.
The programme will also provide 1500 students access to primary and lower secondary education through the construction of a 20-classroom school which includes furniture and water and sanitation facilities.
“Through this programme which concentrates on bolstering educational infrastructure while supporting the psycho-social rehabilitation of the children we aim to ensure that the children in Gaza have access to quality education. This means building up sound infrastructure and developing the relevant curricula as well as investing in teachers so that they can assist students undergoing trauma and help them settle back into their educational routines.”
“Palestine already had significant systemic issues affecting the quality of education. The additional limits on finances the growing student population and the ongoing political instability has led to the educational process in the country to take a serious pounding. However Palestinian children need the security of education in order to grow their skill set and rise above the challenges they face today. As a global philanthropic organisation we are endeavoring to keep education on the agenda as Palestine recovers from the conflict” concluded Al Gurg. -muazkhaleejtimes.com