With Wide Official and Academic Participation: Hebron YDRC Hosts Seminar Titled “Education Between Rescue and Absence: A National Responsibility”

Hebron YDRC hosted a scientific seminar entitled “Education Between Rescue and Absence: A National Responsibility” on Saturday, 31 January 2026. The event was organized by the Directorate of Education in Hebron in partnership with the Council for Education Support and Hebron YDRC. The seminar explored ways to protect the education sector and strengthen its resilience amid current challenges, emphasizing community partnership as a key pillar to ensure continuity of the educational process and foster integration among official institutions, civil society organizations, and universities.

The seminar was attended by Minister of Education Dr. Amjad Barham, Director General of Education Atef Al-Jamal, Chairman of the Council for Education Support Dr. Mohammad Ziad Al-Jaabari, Hebron Deputy Governor Tayseer Al-Fakhouri, Hebron YDRC Executive Director Omar Dahman, representatives from the Parents’ Council, civil society organizations, and universities, as well as school principals, educational counselors, and members of the educational community.

The Council for Education Support opened the seminar with remarks by Muammar Al-Oweiwi, highlighting the importance of convening such an educational forum at this critical time. He noted that gatherings of this kind unify community efforts to protect the educational process, strengthen its resilience, and ensure its sustainability, emphasizing that education is a cornerstone for building individuals and society.

Minister of Education Dr. Amjad Barham affirmed that the Ministry adopts flexible policies to address emergency circumstances and is committed to developing school leadership while empowering teachers to fulfill their educational and national mission. He underscored the importance of partnerships with civil society organizations and local communities as essential to safeguarding education and enhancing its resilience, praised partners for opening a platform for dialogue on educational concerns and strategies for advancement, and highlighted the Ministry’s efforts to maintain educational stability despite the financial crisis.

Deputy Governor Tayseer Al-Fakhouri noted that the education sector is going through a sensitive phase requiring coordinated national, official, and popular efforts. He affirmed that education remains a national priority despite escalating challenges and stressed that official bodies are doing their utmost within limited resources to ensure the continuity of education and protect students’ right to safe and stable learning.

The seminar featured several academic and educational presentations. Dr. Salah Al-Zaru from Hebron University addressed the financial crisis in the education sector, highlighting its impact on schools and teachers, and proposed solutions to mitigate its effects. Dr. Tayseer Abu Sakord from Al-Quds Open University focused on educational leadership under current circumstances, emphasizing the need for flexibility and decision-making capacity in crises, and the importance of strengthening partnerships between local community institutions and both public and private sectors to advance education. Dr. Mohammad Marshoud from Palestine Polytechnic University delivered a presentation titled “The First Line of Defense for Our Children”, highlighting the pivotal role of educational institutions in protecting students intellectually and psychologically and promoting educational and national values.

Ms. Tahani Al-Ajlouni, Principal of Al-Ikhwaa Secondary School for Girls, shared a field-based leadership experience, highlighting educational practices that foster a stimulating learning environment, and presented her initiative “Khatwa” aimed at supporting and protecting education despite challenging conditions.

The program also included interventions from Student Parliament members, who voiced students’ aspirations and concerns, emphasizing that educational challenges extend beyond academics to psychological and social pressures, and underscoring that investment in education is an investment in the nation’s future.

The seminar concluded with a series of recommendations, chief among them affirming education as the first line of defense for society and emphasizing the need to protect it from the impacts of financial and political crises by strengthening partnerships between the Ministry of Education, civil society institutions, local communities, and universities. Recommendations included providing governmental and community support to schools to ensure educational continuity, adopting a flexible approach mindful of economic hardships, equipping educational leaders with crisis-management tools, activating students’ role in proposing practical future visions for education, engaging local communities as a core support for schools, enhancing the role of educational counselors and increasing their numbers in public schools, and forming a specialized committee to follow up on the implementation of the seminar’s recommendations.

The seminar also featured video presentations reflecting community opinions and parental aspirations. It concluded with remarks by Muammar Al-Oweiwi, Director General of the Council for Education Support, who confirmed that the seminar’s outcomes will be submitted to the relevant authorities and emphasized that protecting education is a shared national and societal responsibility.

Following the conclusion of the seminar, Minister of Education Dr. Amjad Barham, accompanied by the official delegation, toured the facilities of Hebron YDRC. During the tour, he reviewed the educational, youth, and psychosocial programs implemented by Hebron YDRC, including mental health and social support initiatives for children and youth, aimed at promoting psychological well-being, building resilience, and fostering personalities capable of adapting to current challenges.

The Minister expressed his admiration for Hebron YDRC’s notable development, the quality of its facilities, and the resources available, as well as the safe and stimulating learning environment it provides. He also commended Hebron YDRC’s pioneering role as a leading community-based institution dedicated to empowering Palestinian children and youth through innovative programs and comprehensive services that promote leadership and positive engagement, highlighting its significant contributions to supporting the educational process, protecting students psychologically and educationally, and driving tangible community impact in Hebron and beyond.

For their part, Hebron YDRC administration reaffirmed their commitment to a future vision of a Palestine where children and youth enjoy freedom, well-being, and active participation, and pledged to continue working in close coordination with the Ministry of Education and official and partner institutions, to strengthen and support education as a national priority amid exceptional circumstances.