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USAID promotes education through developing model curriculum and teaching techniques in a number of private schools and aims to improve higher education through scholarships. The Model Schools Network (MSN) Program is a four-year institutional capacity building program that will serve as a model for improving the quality of basic education in the West Bank and Gaza on grades 1-9. This program, implemented through AMIDEAST, aims to develop and implement innovative educational concepts and pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning in cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

As part of the $8.8 million Palestinian Faculty Development program, which aims to improve higher education, 32 scholars started doctoral studies at U.S. universities and 7 scholars have pursued short-term training at U.S. universities. The United States also has provided 69 Master’s degree scholarships for study in the United States.

 

Since 1993 the total budget provided to the Youth and Education activities was for $64 Million.
YOUTH AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
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  • Youth Empowerment
  • Basic Education
  • Workforce Development

youth empowerment

Development Problem

Productively engaging youth is urgent since there are an estimated one million young Palestinians, more than a quarter of a total West Bank/Gaza population of 3.8 million. Investing in Palestinian youth at this critical stage in the evolution of a Palestinian state is critical to diminishing the underlying conditions that seed terrorism and laying the groundwork for a viable Palestinian economy and vibrant Palestinian democracy.

USAID Intervention

USAID aims to empower young Palestinians by providing them with real opportunities to develop and apply leadership skills through providing leadership skills training for youth and support youth led community initiatives.

USAID created a Youth Corps composed of 800 young male and female leaders and volunteers mobilized to engage in community-based activities including the delivery of humanitarian assistance (i.e. food, medicine, and water) and household self-reliance and civic educational activities.

USAID will also expand the Youth Corps activities which includes providing leadership skills training for youth and support youth led community initiatives; establish English and Arabic monthly newsletters, a website, success stories and pamphlets on youth issues; and establish three Professional Development Resource Centers that will provide quality services and activities for youth in three main pillars including livelihood opportunities, leadership training, civic engagement, and sports and cultural activities.

Latest Results

During 2007, more than 7,000 marginalized community members in the West Bank and Gaza received humanitarian aid (food baskets, medicine and medical checkups, etc.), gained access to clean water, and participated in environmental/cleanup campaigns and cultural activities proposed and implemented by youth groups.

basic education

Developing the basic education sector remains essential for advancing Palestinian national development and is a fundamental requirement to meeting the growing demands for schooling, educating moderate, responsible citizens, and realizing reasonable employment opportunities .

USAID Intervention

USAID seeks to improve the quality of basic education in the West Bank by developing innovative educational concepts and pedagogical approaches throughout a network of twenty private schools. USAID aims to develop a school model of best practices for measurably improving learning outcomes in primary schools, which can be replicated throughout the Palestinian education system.

This is relatively new and thus has not produced results yet.

workforce development

Development Problem

Developing the Palestinian workforce is one of the most important priorities to realizing Palestinian national development, creating a more peaceful, hopeful Palestinian society and promoting a two-state solution. Providing employment opportunities for vocationally trained youth will foster younger Palestinians’ civic contributions for advancing Palestinian national development.

USAID Intervention

USAID will lay the foundation for a broader youth development program that will provide critically-needed educational and employment opportunities to those individuals most vulnerable to political extremism. USAID will strengthen youth job skills and make technical and vocational careers viable livelihood options for Palestinian youth. USAID will introduce reforms to the non-governmental technical and vocational education system to improve the quality of education and make it more relevant and effective in meeting the labor market’s needs; and develop strong, practical relationships between USAID and the private sector to create new technical and vocational training opportunities by identifying key businesses which support apprenticeship programs and by developing training partnerships with the most relevant industries.

This is relatively new and thus has not produced results yet.

Last Modified on: Friday, September 19, 2008