Anera Launches First Preschool Class in West Bank Public Schools
Apr 23, 2014 | Hebron — Anera (American Near East Refugee Aid) is proud to announce the establishment of the first two preschool classes within existing government elementary schools. The program is funded by Dubai Cares.
“This is a groundbreaking development in the Ministry’s campaign to make preschool education available to the most marginalized communities in the West Bank and Gaza,” said Dr. Jehad Zakarneh, Assistant Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Education.
Dubai Cares Chief Executive Officer Tariq Al Gurg added: “This Early Childhood Development program is an excellent example of Dubai Cares’ long-term commitment to improving access for young children to education opportunities.”
The Ministry of Education is establishing a total of 32 preschool classes that will be incorporated into the public school system in West Bank and Gaza.
The renovation of Beit Mirsim is part of the Anera-Dubai Cares Right Start! Program; a two year initiative, which started in July 2012, that seeks to improve early childhood development (ECD) for Palestinian children residing in some the most marginalized areas in Gaza and West Bank, including Jerusalem.
The program aims at improving childhood environments to meet ECD needs for children, as well as improving pedagogy in preschools targeted by the program. With Dubai Cares’ support, Anera is renovating and equipping 25 preschools, training and mentoring 100 teachers and 25 head teachers in ECD, and training and sensitizing over a thousand parents in positive parenting techniques. In addition, more than 3,000 Let’s Read!/Hayya Naqra! packs have been developed and disseminated to encourage parents to read to their children.
Right Start! is part of Anera’s ECD program that incorporates the development of child-centered classrooms and learning materials, as well as training and mentoring of teachers, parents and community stakeholders. Anera’s program is helping to map out a national ECD strategy.
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About Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares, a UAE-based philanthropic organization, was launched in September 2007 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to improve childrens access to primary education in developing countries. Learn more: www. dubaicares.ae
About Anera
For more than 45 years, Anera has been a leading provider of development, health, education and employment programs to Palestinian communities and impoverished families throughout the Middle East. In FY 2013, the relief and development agency delivered more than $60 million of programs to the people of the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon and Jordan.