Daily sufferings at Israeli occupation checkpoints did not stop Palestinian students from faring well in examinations

By Mohammed Yassin, IOL Correspondent

GAZA, July 16 (IslamOnline.net) - Following the announcement of the results of the General Secondary School examinations, Palestinian students started thinking about what colleges they want to join to fulfill their ambitions. Yet, their ambitions are undermined by the obstacles Israel puts on their way, particularly those who would like to travel abroad and specialize in branches not available inside occupied Palestine .

Eissa, 18, who lives in Gaza and has scored 85%, tells IslamOnline.net "I only think of specialties available in Gaza universities.

"I know I'll be cross-examined by the Israeli occupation in case of traveling, as they prevent Palestinians under 35 from leaving the occupied territories. There is no need to risk my life."

Having obtained 96.5%, Ibrahim El-Zenaty, expressed his desire to study medical equipment engineering, pointing out that "this branch is not available at home. I feel confused between studying telecommunication engineering available in Gaza universities and traveling abroad to pursue my ambitions, which is rather difficult."

"I try to convince myself to specialize in some branch available in Gaza universities. I have to be realistic and down to earth," Al-Zenaty added.

"All students are eager to complete their studies abroad where more specializations are available, but several circumstances stand on their way," Al-Islambolly Bedir, a resident of Tulkarem, said.

"I never thought of traveling, as I know quite well that there is no way to leave the West Bank due to the offenses perpetrated by the occupation troops against my family," Bedir added, pointing out "however, I'll study engineering at Al-Najah University and stay in Nablus to avoid the barriers of the occupation troops."

"But for the Israeli measures, the number of Palestinian students pursuing their studies abroad would have been greater," head of student affairs department at the Ministry of Higher Education, Mr. Monzer Nasrallah said, pointing out to the random arrests of Palestinian youths at the Israeli barriers and checkpoints.

"Palestinian universities do not have all specializations, particularly those based on application such as engineering and technical ones due to the lack of potentials and specialists in these fields," Nasrallah told IslamOnline.net

Arab Obstacles

Palestinian students hold a sit-in protesting blocking them from reaching their universities by Israel

Nasrallah pointed out that some Palestinian students prefer to study in the military and air force academies but added that apart from the Israeli obstacles, there are other ones represented in the pre-requisites laid down by some Arab states to allow Palestinian students join such colleges.

"Some Arab countries demand permission from Palestinian students into their territories. This is in addition to the costly fees of studying abroad that undermine the ambitions of Palestinian students to complete their studies outside Palestine ," Nasrallah reiterated.

The head of the student affairs department underlined that "in case of absence of the Arab and Israeli obstacles, Palestinians will be more desirous to study abroad," pointing out that the Ministry of Higher Education "seeks to provide new specializations to save Palestinian students travel burdens."

Missing Specializations

"The Israeli occupation does not allow the Palestinian students to reach their universities; hence, how come they leave them travel abroad?" Assistant deputy President of the University of Bethlehem Moussa Darwish wondered.

Darwish has agreed that Palestinian universities lack some specializations necessary for the community, pointing out to a large number of students who seek to study abroad in order to fulfill their ambitions.

"Students do not seek nowadays to learn languages; rather they are eager to join scientific colleges based mainly on application that require great potentials," Darwish added.

Bethlehem University official reiterated that students who travel abroad seek fields such as technology, medicine, engineering, computer sciences, communications and applied scientific subjects.

"Palestinian universities lack several specializations that are costly regarding tools and equipment and also lack academic expertise for such specializations."

It is worth noting that the Palestinian Minister of Education Dr. Naeem Abul Hommos has announced Wednesday July 14, the results of the General Secondary School (High School) examinations in the Palestinian territories.

"The number of examinees amounted to 58.000 students. The percentage of success in the scientific section is 83.5%, while it was only 61.2% in the arts section. The number of universities in Palestine is 11 and they are located in the central Palestinian towns."