Jenin –(5/5/2010), the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in partnership with the Education Directorate in Qabatia, organized an educational forum on 5th of May , entitled, "Educational Counseling and its relevance to the process of education and learning". The forum was held at the Jannat Park in the city of Jenin.
Among the attendees at the event were Dr. Younis al-Khatib, President of the PRCS, Dr. Fathi Fleifel, Director of the Psycho-Social Support department, Musa Abu Zeid, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, Jihad Zakarneh, Assistant Undersecretary, and Rima Daraghmeh, Director of the Education Directorate in Qabatia.
In his opening speech, Dr. al-Khatib confirmed that the PRCS have always represented the unity of the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. He pointed out that the psycho-social support program established in the basic schools by the PRCS is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.
Saying that the program emanates from the needs and suffering experienced by people as a result of psychosocial pressure caused by the occupation, Dr al-Khatib stated; “There is a need for psychosocial intervention to support and reinforce the steadfastness of the people on their lands”. He went on to say that while there is support for the Palestinian people, the individual who really deserves all our support is the Palestinian child.
Dr. al-Khatib identified the important aspects of the program as translating the concept of partnership with targeted sectors, such as children, their peers, teachers and parents, and the partnership between the PRCS and the Ministry of Education and its various directorates.
He added that the program in the basic schools must be rolled out to all schools in Palestine and should not be limited to the schools where it currently exists. He extended an appeal to the Ministry of Education to ratify the program in order to support it to reach its goals.
In his address, Abu Zeid praised the efforts of the PRCS in the field of counseling and psychosocial support and the fruitful cooperation between the Ministry and the PRCS.
He stressed the need for cooperation between all Palestinian education and learning institutions with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to support the ministry in its process of upgrading education in Palestine.
Ms Rema Daraghmeh said the level of institutional representation participating in the forum was proof of partnership and the integration needed to develop the concept of educational counseling. She stressed the importance of cooperation from all sides in improving the quality and learning and teaching methods in Palestine.
In the first session, Dr. Thiab Alloush, President of Palestine Private University, talked about the concept of counseling and vocational guidance and the difference between this concept and social counseling. He spoke of the importance of the target sectors and effective intervention and the impact on academic achievement.
Dr. Yousef Thiab, Head of Nablus Educational region at al-Quds Open University, talked about the role of the teacher in educational counseling and the role of the school both in the past and in current times. He gave a definition of psychological counseling, explaining its goals and the role of the teacher in the process.
Nidal Abu Na’seh, from Jenin Educational region at al-Quds Open University, gave an explanation of child abuse. The counseling and special education section from the educational region in Qabatia presented a field study showing the impact of counseling on academic achievement and school violence.
In the second session, Dr. Wa’el Abul Hasan, lecturer at the Arab American University, talked about the culture of violence in Palestinian society and its impact on scholastic achievement. He defined family violence and its forms and causes and its ramifications and impact on academic achievement.
Ra’ed Nazzal, from the Social Affairs Ministry, tackled the role of the institutional partnership in protecting and caring for the child. He talked about Palestinian Child Law, counselors in childhood protection and the childhood protection network, the partner institutions and their roles, terms of reference and professional references.
Marwan al-Hantouli from Qabatia Education Directorate gave an overview of the reading and writing project, its origin and rationale, implementation mechanisms, statistical results and follow up of the results.
Bassam Marshoud, from the Psycho-Social Support Department at the PRCS, talked about the psychosocial support program in the basic schools and the impact on school students.
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