Why some Palestinians want to learn like Israelis

[shira]

As they consider implementing an Israeli curriculum in their schools, Palestinians weigh which matters more: better university and job prospects, or reinforcing their national identity.



The Palestinian Authority has accused Israel of trying to tamper with the minds of Palestinian youth after introducing the Israeli curriculum into selected schools for Palestinian children in East Jerusalem. Israeli authorities stress is voluntary and at the schools' request – consolidates Israeli annexation of that area, claimed by Palestinians as their future capital.

The move has left Palestinians feeling torn between the national identity they feel is best expressed in the Palestinian curriculum and the practical desire to give their children the best chance possible of finding good jobs in Israel or getting accepted to an Israeli university.

''The goal of this is political, not educational – to say that Jerusalem is Israeli, not Palestinian,'' says an educator at a non-municipality school who asked not to be identified. He refused to sign a form for his son to join the Israeli curriculum. Israeli municipality officials say the expansion comes at the initiative of Palestinian parents seeking to facilitate their children's acceptance in the Israeli job market and at Israeli universities. In order to be accepted at Israeli universities, students educated according to the Palestinian curriculum are currently required to take exams in Hebrew, English, math, and Israeli civics that require protracted preparation, at considerable expense to parents...

...''The Palestinian Authority, Fatah and Hamas may oppose this but parents know that the future of their children is in Israel,'' says David Koren, adviser on East Jerusalem to the Jerusalem mayor, Nir Barkat. ''In a series of meetings with us, parents requested having the option of the Israeli curriculum. People were paying 12,000 shekels ($3,430 dollars) for private courses to prepare their children for Israeli universities and they asked the mayor, why not open a track within the school?''

more @
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2013/0913/Why-some-Palestinians-want-to-learn-like-Israelis

[Israeli]

1. happy to see that ....

you are concerned about education in East Jerusalem shira .

For your further education may I cordially invite you to read the following links :

http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=60940

http://ir-amim.org.il/en/info-en?keys=&field_tags_tid%5B%5D=86&field_dates_value%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=&field_dates_value_1%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=&=Apply