The Oslo Accords marked a turning point for education in Palestine, granting Palestinians the ability to shape their educational curricula after years of Israeli occupation. However, Israel has since implemented policies aimed at asserting control over Jerusalem, pressuring Palestinian schools to adopt Israeli curricula. This factsheet examines the tools used by the Israeli authorities to influence and control Palestinian education in East Jerusalem, highlighting logistical and intellectual challenges.
Schools’ Categories in East Jerusalem
According to a report that was prepared in mid of 2023, approximately 110,293 students (excluding kindergartners) attend 249 schools in East Jerusalem.
These schools are classified into 3 main categories:
1- Official and recognized schools (called municipal schools), which are supervised by the Israeli Ministry of Education through the municipality of Jerusalem, which means that they are managed and funded by the Jerusalem municipality.
There are 65 schools, that forest 41% of the students in East Jerusalem
2- Recognized schools but unofficial these schools receive partial funds from the Israeli Ministry of Education and are supervised (partially) by the municipality. These schools are mainly private schools, and most of them belong to church-based institutes, nonprofit organizations, and a limited number of private companies.
There are 105 schools of this category, that forest 44% of the students in East Jerusalem.
3- Unrecognized Schools: These educational institutions were founded prior to 1967 and do not receive any financial support from the Jerusalem municipality. Most of these schools, (approximately 73 schools), fall under the administration of the Islamic Awqaf while being operated, funded, managed, and overseen by the Palestinian Ministry of Education.
Moreover, there are six schools in East Jerusalem under the administration of UNRWA. These schools serve as educational institutes for Palestinian refugees. It is worth mentioning that only 15% of the students in East Jerusalem attend unrecognized schools.