Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency Tackles Education Crisis in East Jerusalem

The Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency is addressing socio-economic conditions confronting Palestinians in Al Quds (the Arabic name for Jerusalem), the agency’s director Mohamed Salem Cherkaoui said on Thursday in Tunis, MAP reported.
In a speech at the opening of a conference on education in Jerusalem held by the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (ALESCO), Cherkaoui highlighted the Agency’s efforts to date to strengthen the educational system and said that it has allocated 13 million dollars to create, rehabilitate, and supply equipment to several educational centers in the Holy City.
The agency’s operations are intended to “preserve the national identity and historical narrative of Palestine,” he said.
Such efforts include expanding the educational infrastructure to combat overcrowding. The agency constructs 80 classrooms annually, along with libraries and laboratories.
However, Cherkaoui highlighted the need to address the shortage of educational staff through human resource development.
Data from Palestinian authorities indicate that Israeli forces have destroyed 293 public schools in the Gaza Strip and leveled over 85% of university structures in the region. Israel has also been attempting to shut down Palestinian schools in Jerusalem to convert the area into a tourism hub, according to the Palestinian authorities.
The Agency is collaborating closely with the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education to restore the educational sector, which has suffered significant damage since the onset of Israel’s war on Gaza on October 7, 2023.
It continues to support vital Palestinian institutions through partnerships focusing on education and training. Its partners include Moroccan and Palestinian organizations, such as Morocco’s Digital Development Agency, hospital institutions in Jerusalem, the Bank of Palestine, and Al-Quds University.
Founded in 1998 and chaired by King Mohammed VI, the Agency seeks to preserve the cultural and historical heritage of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and support its population.