Submitted by crinadmin on
Press Release, DCI Israel, 17 April 2000
The Right to Education in East Jerusalem: A Study of Policies and
Practices Affecting Palestinian Jerusalemite Children.
Ms. Azra Khan
The research for this report was conducted from April 1999 to
October 1999.
The main points of this report:
- The purpose of the report is to question whether the
educational practice is a realistic reflection of the legal obligations
and aspirations of the State of Israel. Israel ratified the
Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1991, and also has its
own Compulsory Education Law (1949) - both outline the right to
free and compulsory education provided by the Government.
- There are implicit problems with registering chidlren in public
schools in East Jerusalemm ( those run by the Jerusalem
Education Authority). These problems are tied into those of
residency in Jerusalem. Parents who are struggling to prove their
residency in Jerusalem face additional barriers when attempting
to register their children in public schools.
- It is the legal obligation of the Jerusalem Education Authority to
accept any child who is resident in Jerusalem regardless of
whether or not the child has been registered in the Population
Registry run by the Ministry of Interior, or if the parents are illegal
residents in the state jursidiction. In fact, the report shows that
those families whose residency status has revoked; children with
only one Jerusalemite parent; unregistered children, and children
whose families have moved from one neighbourhood to another -
often experience difficulties or are denied access to the JEA public
schools in East Jerusalem.
Director of Development of DCI - Israel, Dr Philip Veerman,
stressed that "this report is important because many people are
unaware that problems of residency for East Jerusalemites
extend beyond those of health insurance and child allowance, to
the basic and fundamental right of these children to an education
in the city. We hope this report will bring awareness and action
on behalf f policy-makers and decision-makers in Jerusalem."Owner: Ms. Aza Khan