2013-11-13

I’lam Media Center concluded its debate training program which began at the start of this year and benefited around 30 participants, in addition to the general Palestinian community in Israel (PCI). The last public debate took place on Friday, October 25 and addressed the topic: “Should the Arab community determine the curricula for its students in the Israeli public school system?”

The event was held at the Gardenia Hotel in Nazareth and was attended by many people concerned about the issue, especially teachers, in addition to students who took part and comprised the second group to graduate from I’lam’s debate program. They received certificates from Professor Amal Jamal, I’lam’s General Director, and Richard Asbeck, the Resident Representative in Israel and the Palestinian Territories for the Hanns Seidel Foundation, which has been sponsoring the activities.

The supporting team consisted of Dr. Mohamad Hayadreh, head of the Follow-up Committee on Educational Issues; Professor Riyad Egbaryah, president of the School of Pharmacy at Ben Gurion University; and Odai Mahameed, a student participant. The opposing team was made up of Dr. Said Bargouthi, former superintendent at the Ministry of Education; Naser Abu Safi, superintendent and adviser to the Minister of Educational Affairs in the Arab society; and Najeeb Drawshi, a student participant.  

Dr. Hayadreh: “It’s time to create a special office of education for the Arab society”

From the supporting side, Dr. Hayadreh argued that the demand to form an office of education for the PCI isn’t something new, and that the policy of marginalizing and excluding Arab education began when the State of Israel was founded. He added that the PCI knows about the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Affairs, which Ben Gurion created during his administration. The committee gave the PCI three limited choices: (1) assimilate into Israeli society; (2) the liberal option: mix with Israeli society, but keep Arab education separate; or (3) let the government take control. The committee chose the third alternative on behalf of Arab society; this decision still holds sway and blocks the Arab community from entering the decision-making process in all areas of education and politics.

Dr. Hayadreh noted that despite the government’s control and censorship, there have been a number of improvements to the Arab education system. For example, in 1987, the head of the Department of Arab Education, a Jew, was replaced by an Arab, but the latter ended up just being a figurehead and didn’t create changes in policy.

Dr. Hayadreh asserted that following a study by the Follow-up Committee on Educational Issues, now is the time to create a special office of education for the Arab society within the Ministry of Education, so that the PCI can have a say in forming the curricula, especially in light of its status as a minority. 

Dr. Bargouthi: “It’s not fair to say that there hasn’t been any change to the education system”

Dr. Bargouthi maintained that while the demand that the PCI determine the curricula for Arab students is valid, a number of obstacles hinder the process. Self-management carries a lot of risk due to many external factors, such as the influence of political trends or local Arab powers. In addition, the Arab society is not homogenous; people have varying levels of education, practice different religions, and within a single faith, people can be more conservative or more secular. This lack of cohesion causes each group to try to control the education sector according to its desires.

The PCI has other demands which have not yet been realized; for example, the demand for recognition of a committee on Arab education issues that could act as a partner and representative to the government, or the passage of special laws that are sensitive to the PCI’s educational needs. It is better for the Arab society to achieve these goals before attempting self-management.

Dr. Bargouthi said it isn’t fair to claim that Arab education hasn’t changed at all in terms of curricula or the balance of power, and mentioned several of his accomplishments from his time in office. He asserted that the PCI is currently part of the Israeli education system based on the development and realization of specific achievements, and encouraged teachers to pursue individual initiatives.

Professor Egbaryah: Our identity and language bring us together

Professor Egbaryah remarked that Dr. Bargouthi’s arguments stem from an age gap. He contended that the older generation in the education system still fears change, and is unaware that the society has transformed and has come to reject any curricula from the authorities. In response to Dr. Bargouthi’s claim that the different groups within Arab society do not collaborate, he mentioned that a number of parties have contributed to building the Arab education system, and efforts to impose control.

He said that the PCI is united by a common heritage and fate, and that all its members share the same concern. He explained that all international systems give people the right to determine their children’s education, and complained, “Enough with the authorities treating us poorly just because we are a minority! We are human beings, we have our demands, and it doesn’t make sense that our educational needs depend on how many of us there are in the wider Israeli society.”

While refuting Dr. Bargouthi’s claims, Professor Egbaryah discussed the current situation of the Arabic language within the PCI and the Israeli education system. He argued that the system doesn’t place a strong emphasis on maintaining the language and therefore a national Arab identity; as a consequence, the Arab student develops feelings of inferiority, which grow over time.

Naser Abu Safi: The problem with political appointments in the education system

Naser Abu Safi, superintendent and adviser to the Minister of Educational Affairs in the Arab society, supported self-management in all areas of the public sphere including Arab education, and said that free human beings play a part in determining the course of their lives. He stressed that the PCI can’t live in a fantasy world and has to talk about the situation realistically. The PCI must ask itself: is the goal of this debate truly possible?

Abu Safi maintained that the PCI must first discuss the reasons that led to the current circumstances: was the Arab society aware of history and the sequence of events? Whoever thinks that the PCI’s struggle with the Israeli education system is about budgets is mistaken; it is about identity and the balance of power, and this is what makes achieving the goal of self-management difficult.

Abu Safi called upon the PCI to continue fighting and voicing its demands, and assured the audience that the dream will one day come to fruition. He described his experience and criticized the lack of Arab leaders in the education system. Despite that Abu Safi is nearing the end of his term in office, he proposed a change: that more Arab leaders be appointed, thereby strengthening the ability of the Arab society to influence the future of its children.

At the end of the debate, student participants Odai Mahameed and Najeeb Drawshi each presented a summary from their respective teams. The audience voted, and after their ballots were collected and the judges also voted, it was announced that the supporting side won.