The Struggle of Education in the City of Jerusalem: Between Judaization and Neglect
The educational system in the city of Jerusalem suffers from unprecedented challenges as a result of systematic Israeli policies targeting the Palestinian cultural and national identity. Since the occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967, the occupation authorities have sought to impose full control over the education sector, in an attempt to empty it of its national and religious essence, by doing the following:
Judaization of Curricula: One of the most prominent forms of suffering is the attempt to impose the Israeli curriculum on Palestinian schools, as the occupation municipality and the Israeli Ministry of Education distribute “distorted” versions of the Palestinian curriculum, from which content related to the Palestinian cause has been deleted, such as the Nakba, prisoners, Islamic identity, and national symbols, and replaced with content promoting the Zionist narrative.
Severe Shortage in Infrastructure: Schools in Jerusalem suffer from overcrowded classrooms, weak basic facilities, and the absence of yards, laboratories, and libraries. It is estimated that there is a shortage of more than 1,000 classrooms, which forces some schools to implement a two-shift system or shorten the school day.
Funding Gap: Palestinian schools in Jerusalem do not receive sufficient support from the occupation municipality, which uses budgets as a means of pressure conditioned on accepting the Israeli curriculum. This forces many families to enroll their children in private schools despite the high costs, or in schools that lack proper educational supervision.
Targeting Teachers and Institutions: Teachers and administrators are subjected to political and security pressures. A number of school principals and teachers have been summoned for investigation simply because they refused to teach the Israeli curriculum. Some institutions have also been threatened with license withdrawal or funding suspension if they did not comply with Israeli “directives.”
Restrictions on Movement and Communication: The occupation imposes checkpoints and walls that separate Jerusalem’s neighborhoods from one another, hindering the arrival of students and teachers to their schools, and increasing dropout rates due to frustration and daily risks.
In light of these challenges, supporting Palestinian schools in Jerusalem—such as the Arab Institute—becomes a national and humanitarian responsibility, and a means to protect the next generation from attempts at erasure and assimilation.