Project Citizen Project Title: School Property ElFata ElLagia Secondary Girls School Jerusalem, Pale

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Project Citizen Project Title School
PropertyEl-Fata El-Lagia Secondary Girls
SchoolJerusalem, PalestineNinth Grade
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Group One
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Background

• A country and its government search to protect
  and secure
• the rights of its citizens and provide
  different services
• In the city of Jerusalem, due to the numerous
  problems existing and facing the Palestinian
  population, there must be collective efforts by
  all citizens

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School Location

• Our school is a School that falls in the heart of
  Jerusalem right outside the old wall
• It is an old rented building

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Problem Selection
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We the students of El-Fata El-Lagia Secondary
Girls School have identified many problems and
voted on the most important and dangerous of
allThe problem of the School Property
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Reasons for Selection of problemThe school
has a population of 700 The school property
problem impacts negatively the educational
operationEducation is a human rightIt is
critical to protect and preserve the educational
schools and institutes in Jerusalem
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Problem IdentificationSchool property
problems (academic year 2007/2008)Third floor
ceiling has serious cracks and debris is falling
on studentsThird floor which holds 7 classrooms
for 200 students evacuated on orders from
Jerusalem Directorate Engineer due to safety
hazard
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• A major safety hazard to students and teachers as
  well as
• a violation of right to education in a safe
  school environment

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Reasons for Selection of problemThe school
has a population of 700 The school property
problem impact negatively the educational
operation keeping in mind that education
is a human rightIt is critical to protect and
preserve the Arab educational schools and
institutes in Jerusalem
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Impact of ceiling cracks on third floor

• Evacuation of 5 classrooms
• Evacuation of science laboratory

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• Library converted to a classroom
• Students lost an important resource

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• Home economics room converted to classroom
• Another resource students lost
• Overcrowded and uncomfortable space for
  learning

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• School Theater hall divided into 4 classrooms
• Another student resource lost
• Overcrowded spaces

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• Computer lab converted to classroom
• Multiple sections crowded in classrooms
• Another resource students lost

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• Unsafe and unhygienic School Surroundings

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Group Two
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We studied the Palestinian Constitution (draft)
We the students of the second group worked on
suggesting policies and solutionsWe included
pros and cons of each suggestion
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Existing Policies

• On search in the Palestinian Constitution
• We found that every person has
• the right to live in a safe environment
• the right to education

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Article (17) The country works at achieving
the social, economic,cultural and scientific
developmentfor the Palestinian people keeping
into consideration social justice
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Article (20) the basic human rights and freedoms
are a must that should be respected
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Article (24) International and UN declarations
grants childrens rights
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Article (25) Right to life is a human right that
is protected by rules and regulations
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Article (28) Every human being has the right to
freedom and personal protection
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Article (42) Education is a human right for
every individual and society and it is mandatory
for basic education and is the responsibility of
the nation in schools, institutes and
organizations
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Article (60) the nation is responsible for the
safety of people, property and works on the
protection of the rights of its citizens in and
out of the country
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Alternative SolutionsThe state is
responsible for allocating a budget for schools
due to its importance in society as well as
securing all necessary means for a quality
educationPurchase of school property to resolve
the issue of rentConstruction on school and
expansion work if possible to resolve over
crowdednessBuilding a new school
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Difficulties in Suggested AlternativesThe
political situation related to the occupation has
put many obstacles in the face of Jerusalemites
includingConfiscation of Palestinian
landRejection by the Israeli authorities of
necessary building permits for new
schoolsAgenda of the occupying forces to
control Arab SchoolsInadequate funds as well as
underutilization of funds when available
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Supporting PartiesSchool AdministrationMinistr
y of Education in Jerusalem DirectorateParents
councilsEducational cadre of schoolStudentsOpp
osing PartiesIsraeli occupation
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Selected PolicyThe government must strive
seriously to purchase the school building and
must work on fixing the structure fixing all
cracks and safety hazardsGet rid of rent which
threatens our school due to its accumulation
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Justification of Selected Policy of
SolutionThis policy was the best from among
what the second group had to offer and we made
sure that it did not contradict the Palestinian
constitution and serves inImprovement of
educational situation and help students by making
resources available for their useA safe,
healthy, un-crowded school environment for
students to learn inLearning in an environment
where eviction is not a continuous threat
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Who owns the Responsibility?The responsibility
in activating the policy fall in the government
which is the only party that can secure the funds
to purchase the school property
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Group 4
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Putting Forth A Work Plan
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In an effort to develop the policy selected by
Group 3, we did the followingInterviewed our
school principal Met with the educational
directorate of the Jerusalem directorate
Met students and teachers negatively impacted by
the problem Sent a formal letter to the
public officials with signatures on a petition by
all the educational cadre and students from
grade 1-11th including all sections
Participated in the Jerusalem special parliament
related to problems facing female
Jerusalemites an presented our work in attendance
of key personnel
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• An interview with an official

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• Seminar on challenges facing female
  Jerusalemites

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• The results of practicing active citizenship
  !!!

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• Very soon we will be able to look up and
  smile in victory
• instead of fear of what is going to fall
  down on us while learning

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Next year no more buckets to collect dirty water
from all the leaks in the roof
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Project ResultsAs we review results, we
address them under two categoriesPart I We
learned a significant number of lessons
includingThe importance of the spirit of
teamworkHow to address problems facing us in a
systematic approachLearned articles in the
Palestinian ConsititutionLearned debate skills
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Part II Continuous and persistence work with
responsible parties, the following was
possible64,000 USD were secured from the
Palestinian Development Bank to fix the school
propertyConstruction work started and was
scheduled to be completed by academic year
2008/2009 ensuring a safe school environmentWe
thank you and it is OUR RIGHT to live in a safe
school environment
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In ConclusionWe send you all warm greetings
from Palestineand thank the CCE for Project
Citizen