Ramallah – Ma’an – A press conference was held at the headquarters of the International Academic Campaign Against the Israeli Occupation and Apartheid, on the occasion of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, which falls on September 9.
This came with the participation of the Global Campaign for Education, the Educational Coalition, the Palestinian Teachers Union, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, in addition to the International Academic Campaign.
Dr. Rafat Al-Sabah spoke about the occupation’s crimes against life and education in Palestine and discussed the nature of the attacks by the occupation, as Palestine has become the first country in the world to be subjected to attacks by the occupation, including killing, destruction and sabotage, which has led to the loss of an entire academic year for students in the Gaza Strip, pointing to the occupation’s practices of preventing the arrival of basic educational supplies for education.
He pointed out that there have been commu
nity and institutional efforts made since last May to provide temporary educational spaces, and he touched upon the fact that children’s right to education is an internationally recognized right, and despite this, the occupation continues its policy of systematic destruction of educational facilities, while the genocide continues in Gaza, in addition to using schools as shelters.
For his part, Dr. Ramzi Odeh, Secretary General of the Academic Campaign, spoke about the educational genocide that led to the destruction of universities in the Gaza Strip and the martyrdom of more than 117 lecturers and university professors, in addition to depriving students of their right to school and university education. Dr. Odeh reviewed the crimes of the occupation against teachers, students and educational institutions, in terms of the death of nearly 13,500 students due to the crimes of the occupation and the injury of nearly 15,000 other students, and that nearly 90% of schools in the Gaza Strip have been targeted and co
mpletely or partially destroyed. The Secretary General of the International Academy called for an immediate ceasefire and immediate measures to protect schools and the need to provide urgent support and assistance to save education in Palestine. He called on the member states of the United Nations General Assembly to quickly sign the “Safe Schools Declaration”, which calls for the implementation of the guidelines for protecting schools and universities from military use during armed conflict.
For his part, Mr. Saed Rzeikat, head of the Palestinian Teachers Union, spoke about the importance of solidarity of teachers’ unions around the world with Palestinian teachers and students who are being targeted by the occupation forces. He pointed out the importance of holding the occupation accountable for the crimes it is committing against educational and academic life in Palestine and its systematic policy of educational genocide. He stressed the importance of the right to life for the Palestinian person as a basis
for achieving the right to education.
For her part, Dr. Suhair Al-Qassem, representing the Minister of Education and Higher Education, discussed the ministry’s efforts to launch the new academic year and attempt to rescue the situation in an emergency manner in places of displacement and sheltering citizens in schools and tents in the Gaza Strip and resorting to unlimited education for students abroad, especially in the Arab Republic of Egypt, and developing appropriate mechanisms for the continuity of education and rescuing the situation in the Gaza Strip. She called for quickly enabling students in the Gaza Strip to attend their schools and for international action to protect the right to education and stop attacks on schools in the West Bank and targeting schools in Jerusalem. She stressed the importance of having a clear position from UNESCO and the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the crimes and horrific violations witnessed in Palestine against the educational and academic process.
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t is noteworthy that an infographic was presented about the reality of education in Palestine. The conference was moderated by researcher Hassan Abd Rabbo, who invited the attendees to pray for the souls of the martyrs and praised the international student solidarity with the Palestinian people and the importance of stopping the aggression and rebuilding what the occupation destroyed, considering that the Palestinian person is the supreme value that must be protected.
On May 29, 2020, by General Assembly resolution 74/275, a resolution was unanimously adopted to protect education from armed attacks, and to designate September 9 of each year as the day. The General Assembly called on UNESCO and UNICEF to raise awareness about the plight of millions of children living in conflict-affected countries. The General Assembly resolution affirms that governments bear the primary responsibility to provide protection and ensure equitable and inclusive quality education for all learners at all levels, especially those i
n critical circumstances. The resolution also stresses the need to intensify efforts in this regard and increase funding allocated to promote safe and fortified school environments in humanitarian emergencies, by taking all possible measures to protect schools, learners and educational personnel from attacks, refraining from actions that hinder children’s safe access to education, and facilitating access to education in situations of armed conflict.
Source: Maan News Agency