Improving Politics Education for Youth in Palestine: Brightening the Future Through its Makers
Improving
Politics Education for Youth in Palestine: Brightening the Future Through its
Makers
Jehad Abusalim- Gaza
Young
people are integral to a society’s development and peaceful transition. On the
eve of International Youth Day, the Palestinian
Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) released a statistical review on the status
of Palestinian youth[1].
Statistics indicate that youth comprises one third of Palestinian Society. According to the PCBS report, Youth represents
29.8% of the total population of the Palestinian Territory
(West Bank and Gaza Strip). These statistics indicate that the stability and
sustainability of the Palestinian society will be mainly ensured by engaging
youth and making them equal partners in policy making, design, and development.
Regrettably, the reality of youth does not rise to a level where they
are socially and politically involved in their society.
In the study entitled “Palestinian Youth and the Arab Spring,”
conducted by Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre in 2012 indicate that
Palestinian youth in general are retreating from politics. The study states that “Palestinian youth have largely
existed politics.” The priorities of youth, according to the study, are
personal affairs related to family and job. Unemployment amongst Palestine youth
is one of the highest in the world. In the first quarter of 2012, statistics
indicated that 50.5% of youth graduates were unemployed. In fact, unemployment lead youth to be depressed and paralyzed. The resulted discontent from high
unemployment lead youth and other factors
led youth to discard participation in organized politics. In their point of
view, youth in general avoid politics as their perception of political has
become limited to the Fatah-Hamas affair. Thus, they prefer avoiding politics
and limit their concerns to low profile issues. These indicators put the
political future of Gazan youth in question, and make the political sciences
classes at local as the last resort where youth can learn and consider politics.
Political Sciences Education in
Gaza
In the Gaza Strip, three universities, Al-Azhar University, the
Islamic University and Al-Ummah University, offer political sciences
undergraduate degrees. Both Al-Azhar and the Islamic University offer graduate
degrees in addition to the institution called Management and Politics Academy
For Postgraduate Studies. As noted through being in touch with youth, the
politics education in these institutions does not rise to a level where
students can deepen their knowledge and understanding of politics in critical
way, rather, politics education is facing a number of obstacles that hamper
producing aware, highly skilled, and critical graduates. The first obstacle can
be described as the ideological mobilization within universities. The Islamic University,
Al-Ummah, and the Management and Politics Academy are Hamas-based or close to
Hamas, whilst Al-Azhar is Fatah-based institution. Being part of the political
polarization and partisan conflict negatively affects the outcomes of politics
education.
The second obstacle is related to the quality of education in
general in the Palestinian higher education institutions. In the study entitled
“National Study of Undergraduate Teaching Practices in Palestine,” prepared by
Dr. Louis Cristillo from Columbia University, the conclusions indicate the
absence of critical engagement in classes. The study state that undergraduate
in Palestine is characterized by a prevailing teacher-based approach where
lecturing, dictation and note-taking, reading and memorization, and summative
exam-based assessment are the mainly used practices in classes. Equally,
practices that promote critical engagement in classes were much less salient.
These conclusions help imagining the reality of political sciences
students in Palestinian Universities. In a world of rapid changes and
developments, political sciences classrooms has to be more learner-centered. In
other words, education and knowledge sharing should be more interactive, encouraging
critical thinking, and utilizing practices such as group works, open discussions,
debates, blended learning, case studies, and research. Through such practices,
students can be capable of addressing local and international issues while
mastering key skills such as research, writing, quantitative reasoning, and interdisciplinary
understanding.
Urgent Solutions
Having high quality, liberal, and open politics education in
Palestine in general, and in the Gaza Strip in particular is not only essential
for the stability of the future Palestinian state, but also key for its
openness to the world and to preserve its position in the democratic free world.
In fact, the gap in politics education and practice for Palestinian youth prevents
them from being highly knowledgeable and skilled future leaders in their
society. To respond to these challenges, one should put in mind that improving
the situation in universities classrooms would neither be a feasible nor
applicable solution on the short run. The best approach, I believe, is to allow
youth to learn and practice politics through projects and initiatives to be
implemented through civil society organizations.
Many Palestinian civil society organizations and non-governmental
organization implemented projects to promote youth political participation.
However, these projects were also old-fashioned and characterized by traditional
techniques like trainings and workshops. Also, these projects were led by the
elder senior management of local NGOs with limited involvement of youth in the
decision-making process although the projects aims’ were to promote youth
political participation.
However, the obstacles on the NGOs level are easier to be handled.
The Palestinian NGOs, particularly the ones led by youth, have great responsibility
to promote politics education and practice so that youth can get a place in future
Palestine.
Youth NGOs and groups should focus on peer-to-peer education. They
should utilize knowledge from the Internet. For example, a group of youth can
learn on a particular political topic by watching a lecture online, creating a
social networking group, or even translating their virtual interests into
activities on the ground.
In other words, youth who seek mastering politics have to focus of
attaining the knowledge and skill of politics. Utilizing the existing knowledge
in the web and other places, mastering the knowledge and the skill can become
an easy thing for youth. Not only learning is possible, but also sharing has become
more effective.
Also, the partners and friends of the Palestinian people have to
pay attention to this issue. They support issues like gender, rule of law,
women rights, and other societal issues, which is good. But having all these
issues addressed while not supporting future politicians who will defend such
issues from the top of the pyramid threatens the long term impact of the
addressed issues.
To sum up, promoting organized and effective politics education in
Palestine is significant to the Palestinians and their friends. Palestinian
youth need to understand and practice politics in a scientific, neutral, and
objective context which promote their critical thinking and creativity.
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