newsletter n.16 - Gerusalemme

EDUCATION
New educational and teaching systems and more efficient school facilities
thanks to the work of AVSI and ATS
The three-year project “Supporting the educational emergency in the Palestinian
Territories”, has been funded by the Italian Cooperation with a contribution
of 1,647,000 Euros and implemented by AVSI in partnership with
ATS and the Custody of the Holy Land. The project offers support to the Palestinian
educational system, aiming at improving both schools’ structures and
educational and teaching standards. Many workshops have been organized
in the framework of the project and the latest one, held at the Effetà Centre in
Bethlehem, was focused on environmental education.
A key aspect of the project is the issue of disability. “ While being significantly extended,
the phenomenon of disability in the Palestinian context is not yet adequately addressed
in its cognitive, relief and rehabilitee
aspects - says Giovanni Nannetti, head of
the educational activities – we have decided
to begin to address the issue through
a training for school’s teachers. “ To this
end, we launched the awareness campaign
`One of us`, which aims to bring
forward a concept of inclusive education”.
Ali, one of the 23 boys involved in the workshop, welcomed the participants and trainers
with these words: “Thank you on behalf of everyone for coming all this way to make us
live this new and exciting experience.” The workshop had a very practical aim, expressed
in two major topics: learning about the environment and how to respect the nature. Beside
that, the workshops introduced a new approach to education and tried to encourage
children to actively participate and play knowing the reality in which they live and their
own one. “We were surprised that both teachers and children quickly embraced the
approach we taught them - said Alberto Mazzucchelli, one of the trainers – Children are
capable of attention that we often do not have. As a result, during the field visits, they
carefully described every little detail and feature of the nature that surrounded them. “
The work done during the workshop is part of a wider effort involving 13 training institutions,
1400 teachers and more than 2000 children. “In this project we work both on
structures, trying to provide safe and adequate places, both on educational activities,
working with teachers and providing financial support to students - explains Alberto
Repossi, country representative for AVSI - we want to create an educational and sustainable
project that will last over time.”
Working in the education field presents
many difficulties, taking into account for
example the traditional teaching methods
based on a mnemonic learning and the
consequent resistance to change demonstrated
in some cases. Addressing these
and other problems, such as braches in
the network between public and private
institutions sharing common problems,
are among the priorities of the AVSI/
ATS’s project. The AVSI/ATS’s project
becomes a useful support as part of the
various initiatives that the Italian Cooperation
has developed in the education
field. Moreover it allows giving continuity
to the Italian Cooperation Program
in Support of the Palestinian educational
system (SPEP), which lasted from 2005
till December 2010 and received a total
contribution of 6 million Euros through
UNDP.
NEWSLETTER N.16 9