Anera Signs Agreement with Palestinian Ministry of Education on Early Childhood Development
MOU signing between the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Anera. (Photo courtesy of the Ministry.)
January 24, 2019 | Ramallah On January 19, Palestinian Minister of Education Dr. Sabri Saidam signed a memorandum of understanding with Anera to strengthen its longstanding partnership supporting early childhood development. The Ministry has committed itself to working with Anera as we continue to strive to make a tangible difference in preschool education access and quality through training and mentorship of teachers; an inclusive, national curriculum; and building and rehabilitating hundreds of schools and classrooms for preschool education.
“Palestinians often tell me that education is their religion,” says Anera CEO Sean Carroll.
“And preschool education is perhaps the final book to be written in the rich canon of Palestinian education. With the PA’s and Minister Saidam’s intention to provide kindergarten access to all Palestinians over the next few years, there is much work to be done. This MOU provides a path forward.”
The agreement recognizes Anera’s pioneering work and continued commitment to enriching the development and education of young children in Palestine. In the memorandum, the Ministry of Education calls Anera “the leading organization in constructing and renovating kindergartens in Palestine.” It further acknowledges Anera to be “one of the leading and distinguished organizations in the field of early childhood in Palestine as a result of its comprehensive and complete programs.”
“I think we’re in safe hands,” said Dr. Saidam, speaking about Anera’s work in Palestine’s early childhood development sector.
- Anera’s early childhood development program continues to reach over 30,000 children annually through teacher training, and renovation and equipping of kindergartens.
- Anera, in partnership with other NGOs, developed the national kindergarten curriculum launched by the Ministry in October 2017. The Ministry disseminated the curriculum to all (2,000+) kindergartens in the West Bank and Gaza.
- Fifty in Five: Anera is building 10 schools this year, and plans to construct a total of 50 new kindergartens in Palestine over the coming five years. New schools are handed over to the Ministry to own and operate.
- As the leader in the field of early childhood education and development, in the past eight years Anera has built, rehabilitated and/or equipped more than 180 kindergartens and trained 700 teachers.
As the leading agency working to advance early childhood development in Palestine, Anera has partnered with the Palestinian Ministry of Education over the past 10 years, and looks forward to continued partnership in building a better future.
For more information, please contact:
Steven Fake
Media Relations Officer, Anera
202.266.9719
[email protected]
About Anera
For 50 years, Anera has helped refugees and others hurt by conflicts in the Middle East live with dignity and purpose. Anera, which has no political or religious affiliation, works on the ground with partners in the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem, Lebanon, and Jordan. We mobilize resources for immediate humanitarian relief and for sustainable health, education, and economic development efforts. Our staff are from the communities they serve, navigating the politics that constrict progress to get help where it’s needed most. In this way, Anera has grown to deliver more than $65 million in programming annually. We will keep building better lives until hope finds its way in the Middle East.