PA Minister of Education: PA is smuggling PA curriculum into E. Jerusalem schools
Official PA TV program Buy Time in Jerusalem, interview with PA Minister of Education Sabri Saidam, on the “Israelization” of education in Jerusalem and the role of the PA Ministry of Education in Jerusalem
PA Minister of Education Sabri Saidam is asked how the PA Ministry of Education can increase the percentage of Arab students in Jerusalem that it is responsible for from the current figure of 14%, and about the PA repairing and purchasing school buildings in Jerusalem –Ed.
PA Minister of Education Sabri Saidam: “How can we deal with this war now? You know, the war is being waged every day, and every day there are important details. Some are not interested in them, but the Jerusalem resident sees them with his own eyes. We say that the campaign is not difficult and is not impossible. If you would ask someone from Jerusalem [how to fight for education], he would tell you: ‘Willpower and money.’ We are armed with desire. We are smuggling our [PA text ]books into the holy city [of Jerusalem]. Some are not familiar with this fact. I said yesterday [Feb. 3, 2017] in a meeting in Hebron: The Palestinian citizen must know first of all that the [PA] Ministry of Education and Higher Education – and I say this honestly – is smuggling its [text]books into the holy city. And this year we have printed [books] in the holy city as much as possible, because we want the books to remain. We want the identity [to remain]. Now, you asked about the 14% (i.e., of Arab students in Jerusalem studying under the PA Ministry of Education curriculum), and I say that it is 14% in terms of the administration, but our curriculum is being implemented in schools aside from the 14%, and we are holding the matriculation exam outside of the 14% framework. Therefore, our responsibility is great, and our ethical responsibility is greater towards these schools (i.e., the Jerusalem schools under the PA curriculum) and towards our national message.”
PA Minister of Education Sabri Saidam is asked how the PA Ministry of Education can increase the percentage of Arab students in Jerusalem that it is responsible for from the current figure of 14%, and about the PA repairing and purchasing school buildings in Jerusalem –Ed.
PA Minister of Education Sabri Saidam: “How can we deal with this war now? You know, the war is being waged every day, and every day there are important details. Some are not interested in them, but the Jerusalem resident sees them with his own eyes. We say that the campaign is not difficult and is not impossible. If you would ask someone from Jerusalem [how to fight for education], he would tell you: ‘Willpower and money.’ We are armed with desire. We are smuggling our [PA text ]books into the holy city [of Jerusalem]. Some are not familiar with this fact. I said yesterday [Feb. 3, 2017] in a meeting in Hebron: The Palestinian citizen must know first of all that the [PA] Ministry of Education and Higher Education – and I say this honestly – is smuggling its [text]books into the holy city. And this year we have printed [books] in the holy city as much as possible, because we want the books to remain. We want the identity [to remain]. Now, you asked about the 14% (i.e., of Arab students in Jerusalem studying under the PA Ministry of Education curriculum), and I say that it is 14% in terms of the administration, but our curriculum is being implemented in schools aside from the 14%, and we are holding the matriculation exam outside of the 14% framework. Therefore, our responsibility is great, and our ethical responsibility is greater towards these schools (i.e., the Jerusalem schools under the PA curriculum) and towards our national message.”