Parental Involvement and Socioeconomic Status in Palestine: A Case Study of Jerusalem Schools

The aim of the present study was to investigate the distribution of oral cariogenic bacteria among 12-year-old Palestinian children attending schools in East Jerusalem. Salivary levels of mutans streptococci (MS) and Lactobacilli (LB) were examined by semi-quantitative commercial kits and then correlated to social-demographic parameters. Overall, 52.1 % of the examined children presented the highest possible ranking score categories for MS bacteria, with only 5.4 % in the lowest category. Only 12.6 % of the school children presented the highest LB score, while 25 % had the lowest ranking score. Salivary MS levels in children attending private schools were lower than those of children in government schools and United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools. Conversely, levels of LB were lowest in children attending UNRWA schools compared to government and private schools. Girls had significantly higher amounts of MS and LB than boys (p = 0.001). Lower MS levels were significantly related to the following socioeconomic variables: higher father's education level (p = 0.037), higher mother's education level (p = 0.063), mother's employment status (p = 0.012), and lower home density (p = 0.001). For LB, the only significant socioeconomic variable was higher father's employment level, which was related to lower LB level (p = 0.025). Levels of MS and LB were found to be strongly related with socioeconomic status among Palestinian children in East Jerusalem. The relatively high prevalence of cariogenic bacteria suggests that oral care prevention and treatment demands special attention from the health care institutions and authorities.

Palestine refugees are achieving higher-than-average learning outcomes in spite of the adverse circumstances they live under. Their education system - the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine refugees in the near east operates one of the largest nongovernmental school systems in the Middle East. It manages nearly 700 schools, has hired 17,000 staff, educates more than 500,000 refugee students each year, and operates in five areas, including the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, and the Syrian Arab Republic. Contrary to what may be expected from a resource-constrained administration serving refugee students who continually face a multitude of adversities, UNRWA students outperform public schools in the three regions - the West Bank and Gaza and Jordan - by a year’s worth of learning. This study uses a mixed methods research approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative research to address the complexity of the research question and its exploratory nature, namely, how do UNRWA schools continually and consistently outperform public schools? This study highlights the existing value added for learning in UNRWA. Especially for the UNRWA fields with the highest levels of adversity, such as the West Bank and Gaza, the factors identified seem to contribute to the resilient functioning of schools.

Amos Perlmutter has raised an interesting series of points in his commentary on my recent article concerning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). As I understand the crux of his argument, it is as follows. “From the outset UNRWA was a political organization” (p. 307). Despite this fact I have displayed a “low level of political judgment” (p. 306) which has led me to focus neither on the decisions rendered by UNRWA's commissioner-general nor on the future impact of UNRWA and the ways in which it can contribute to stability in the Middle East. Presumably these latter two types of analysis would be “high-level political judgments” (p. 308).

In the early 1950s, United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) built two out-of-camp housing schemes, one urban, twenty-four twin houses in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, and the other rural, thirty-two small rooms for farmers in Beit Qad, near Jenin, West Bank. These are two examples out of numerous small housing schemes for Palestinian refugees. The history of these schemes has been overlooked, maybe due to their smallness, unclear status, and the tendency to focus on refugee camps. This article explores the rationales for building these houses and how some of the refugees responded to the schemes, a micro history combining files in the UNRWA archive and interviews. These houses represent an important phenomenon in UNRWA’s work, both because of its current significance as inhabitants of Sheikh Jarrah have been under threat of eviction, and as it highlights aspects of UNRWA’s work between ‘Relief’ and ‘Works’. A closer look at these projects helps understand fundamental issues at stake, such as approaches to solutions to encampment and refugeehood.

Spatializing Identity: The Changing Landscape of Palestinian Refugee Camps

The education system in the Gaza Strip (Palestine) was under the control of the Ottoman Empire (1815–1917) and the British Mandate (1917–1948) and administered by Egypt (1948–1967) and the Israeli government (1967–1993). Since 1993, according to the Oslo Agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, the education system has been under the Palestinian Authority (PA). However, the PA has no power over who can enter or exit Gaza by land or by sea. Kindergarten (KG) to Grade 12 education in Gaza faces numerous challenges compounded and exacerbated by the devastating impact of the Israeli blockade and military attacks on Gaza since 2006 when HAMAS was democratically elected. The effect of the Israeli siege and wars on Gaza are manifested in substantial damage in educational facilities, lack of safety for students, teachers, and administrators, and increased emotional and psychological trauma. These factors have led to a drop in students’ motivation and achievement, and an increase in school push-out (dropout) rates. The Israeli blockade resulted in a shortage of educational resources and supplies. Further, the Israeli blockade limited Gazan educators’ ability to participate in international conventions and study visits, and their ability to cooperate and coordinate with the PA Ministry of Education in the West Bank. The K-12 education system in Gaza is composed of two stages: Basic stage (Grades 1–10) and secondary stage (Grades 11–12). There are three types of schools serving students: (a) government public schools, (b) United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools, and (c) private schools. There are external challenges that face education in general; challenges that face the KG sector in particular; and challenges specific to Grades 1–12 education. Some of these challenges include improving the quality of the education system, flexibility and the ability to adapt to change, developing effective teachers’ preparation and training programs, critical shortage of funds to cover education expenditures, the political situation in Palestine and the rift between Gaza and the West Bank ruling authorities, lack of effective coordination between the Gazan Ministry of Education and UNRWA, and overcrowding. KG to Grade 12 education in Gaza faces numerous challenges compounded and exacerbated by the devastating impact of the Israeli blockade and military attacks on Gaza.

To present data from a 2008 infant mortality survey conducted in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and analyse infant mortality trends among Palestine refugees in 1995-2005. Following the preceding birth technique, mothers who were registering a new birth were asked if the preceding child was alive or dead, the day the child was born and the date of birth of the neonate whose birth was being registered. From this information, neonatal, infant and early child mortality rates were estimated. The age at death for early child mortality was determined by the mean interval between successive births and the mean age of neonates at registration. In 2005-2006, infant mortality among Palestine refugees ranged from 28 deaths per 100 000 live births in the Syrian Arab Republic to 19 in Lebanon. Thus, infant mortality in Palestine refugees is among the lowest in the Near East. However, infant mortality has stopped decreasing in recent years, although it remains at a level compatible with the attainment of Millennium Development Goal 4. Largely owing to the primary health care provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and other entities, infant mortality among Palestine refugees had consistently decreased. However, it is no longer dropping. Measures to address the most likely reasons - early marriage and childbearing, poor socioeconomic conditions and limited access to good perinatal care - are needed.

Following the Syrian conflict that began in 2011, Lebanon received more than one million refugees including 44,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria (PRS). PRS children were integrated into existing schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Despite efforts by UNRWA to integrate the newly displaced into its services in Lebanon, only 58% of 6–18-year-old PRS children were enrolled in school in 2014. Informed by ecological systems theory, we examined the role of parental characteristics in determining school enrollment among PRS children following displacement into Lebanon. Utilizing data from the 2014 UNRWA Vulnerability Assessment (N = 12,378 6–18-year-old children), we specified crude and adjusted logistic regression models to predict child school non-enrollment including a set of variables on head of family characteristics (gender, age, education, and presence/absence of chronic disease) and post-displacement household characteristics (crowding, wealth, camp residence, region, and type of dwelling). The results show that, adjusting for household characteristics, a child living in a family whose head has secondary education or higher is more likely to be enrolled in school compared to one living in a family headed by someone with less than secondary education. Parental education remains the strongest predictor of child school enrollment despite displacement-related household disadvantage. To break the cycle of intergenerational educational disadvantage, it is critical for UNRWA to proactively design school retention programs for PRS children living in families whose head had limited access to education.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12134-020-00793-y.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) newsletter Palestine Refugees Today was issued between 19602 and 1996 to inform readers and donors about the living conditions of the refugees, UNRWA projects, and to mobilise for funding. In 1962 an entire newsletter was assigned to girls and education, and the tone was optimistic: Refugee girls were members of a new generation in the Middle East and had opportunities undreamed of by their mothers and grandmothers: opportunities of education, of training, and of careers. The health educator Yahya Hindi had climaxed his traditional summer cleanliness campaign with a Model Home exhibition. UNRWA's humanitarian role has been imbued with politics since its setup; its aid could give the refugee a small hope from the international community, essential for their comfort, for the security of the region, and for a peaceful spirit. Keywords:humanitarian; international community; Palestine; politics of relief; refugee girls; UNRWA

Anaemia in pregnancy is the most common public health concern in both developed and developing worlds like Palestine. Little is known about this significant health issue. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the perception, opinions and attitudes of anaemia among refugees pregnant women in Gaza strip. A cross-sectional study was employed among a random sample of 164 women or subjects, with a response rate of 81%. The survey was conducted at UNRWA antenatal health centers at refugee camps in Gaza strip. The study was approved by United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) health department. The study elucidated that a higher rate of women were knowledgeable and had ideas on anaemia, however, some women had inadequate knowledge on anaemia during pregnancy. There were a concern and misconception regarding some issues on anaemia such as; lack of knowledge on the effect of drinking tea on iron absorption; and on the side effects of iron pills during pregnancy. Highly positive opinions and attitudes toward anaemia were observed in most women. The study found that a high proportion of women were dissatisfied with the volume of health education sessions on anaemia at UNRWA antenatal health centers and many women had not attended or joined such sessions. In general, the study declined to find a significant differences regarding anaemia between women with and those without health education sessions on anaemia. Finally, the study suggests that, an effective and a clear health education strategy is needed in order to improve women perceptions, awareness, opinions and attitudes regarding anaemia in Palestine. Further researches are important and needed in this scope.

Determinants of bullying among Palestinian refugee students in Lebanon: a qualitative study

Suicidal ideation and planning among Palestinian middle school students living in Gaza Strip, West Bank, and United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) camps.

This study examined the relationship between the parental involvement and academic self- concept of the private and government secondary school students. Thus, it was hypothesized that the parental involvement would be a significant predictor of academic self-concept of children, and also that there would be the differences in parental involvement and academic self-concept of the private and government school children. The sample was consisted of two hundred participants, among them hundred were students of government schools, and similarly hundred were the private school children of grades 6th to 8th. The parental involvement scale was given to the parents and academic self-concept was administered on the children; and they also reported the involvement of their mother or father in such the studies. The age range was 11 to 14 years for children and of parents was 35 to 45 years. The results of the study indicated as the positive relationship of parental involvement with academic self-concept of school students. The parental involvement found as a significant predictor of the academic self-concept of students. The parents of the private school children found more involved than the parents of government schoolchildren. The implications discussed in terms of increasing awareness among government schools to involve the parents more in the studies of their children for better learning outcomes.

This study examined the relationship between the parental involvement and academic self- concept of the private and government secondary school students. Thus, it was hypothesized that the parental involvement would be a significant predictor of academic self-concept of children, and also that there would be the differences in parental involvement and academic self-concept of the private and government school children. The sample was consisted of two hundred participants, among them hundred were students of government schools, and similarly hundred were the private school children of grades 6th to 8th. The parental involvement scale was given to the parents and academic self-concept was administered on the children; and they also reported the involvement of their mother or father in such the studies. The age range was 11 to 14 years for children and of parents was 35 to 45 years. The results of the study indicated as the positive relationship of parental involvement with academic self-concept of school students. The parental involvement found as a significant predictor of the academic self-concept of students. The parents of the private school children found more involved than the parents of government schoolchildren. The implications discussed in terms of increasing awareness among government schools to involve the parents more in the studies of their children for better learning outcomes.

The Elementary School Journal Volume 83, Number 2 ? 1982 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. 001 3-5984183/8302-0009$01o.00 Teachers approach their instructional tasks with a variety of perspectives and strategies that emphasize certain aspects of teaching and deemphasize others. For example, some teachers teach language skills using organized games, while other teachers teach the same skills by direct instruction. Teachers adopt different approaches to the same subject matter partly because their teaching situations differ. Their students may have different learning problems or their classrooms may have varied resources and facilities. Even in the