On 29 February 2016, UNRWA opened the new Sa’d Al Abduallah Al Sabah building in the UNRWA Ibin Sina elementary boys school in Rafah, southern Gaza. This is one of UNRWA’s many construction projects in Gaza. The opening ceremony was attended by the Director of UNRWA operations in Gaza, Mr. Bo Schack, other senior UNRWA staff, as well as representatives from UNRWA school parents’ councils and leaders from the Rafah community.
The construction of the new building – made possible through generous support from the Kuwaiti Development Fund – through Islamic Development Bank (IDB) –has allowed the school to work on a single shift basis since February 2016, serving one of the most crowded and poorest neighbourhoods in Rafah. Prior to this, and for the past 20 years, the old building of IbinSina operated on double shift accommodating two UNRWA schools – the Ibn Sina Elementary Boys School and Rafah Elementary “C” Boys School.
With the new building operational, Ibn Sina Elementary Boys School now provides education to 530 male first, second and third graders under the tutorage of 17 teachers in 14 classrooms, while Rafah Elementary “C” Boys School is serving 922 male first, second, third and fourth graders under the tutorage of 27 teachers in 24 classrooms.
The new building includes a multi-purpose room, a Special Education Special Needs room, rooms for health and school counsellors, a library, a computer lab, a school canteen as well as water tanks working with solar energy and an elevator providing access to upper floors for students with disabilities.
“Today’s opening represents an important and more conducive learning environment for Palestine refugee children in Rafah,” said Mr. Schack. “I would like to recognise the contribution by the Kuwaiti Development Fund– through the generosity and commitment of such donors, UNRWA is better positioned to provide a strong education programme for Palestine refugee children in Gaza.”
Almost 251,000 students attend 257 UNRWA schools across the Gaza Strip.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA Programme Budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall, projected for 2016 to stand at US$ 81 million. UNRWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large shortfalls, are funded through separate funding portals.
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, and microfinance.
For more information, please contact:
Christopher Gunness
Spokesperson, Director of Advocacy & Strategic Communications
Mobile: +972 (0)54 240 2659
Office: +972 (0)2 589 0267
c.gunness@unrwa.org
Sami Mshasha
Chief of Communications, Arabic Language Spokesperson
Mobile: +972 (0)54 216 8295
Office: +972 (0)2 589 0724
s.mshasha@unrwa.org
Milina Shahin
Public Information Officer - Gaza Field Office
Mobile: +972 599 609 485
Office: +972 8 2887213
m.shahin2@unrwa.org