Teach for Palestine, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education represented by the National Institute for Educational Development, organized a graduation ceremony for the first cohort of the Teacher Capacity Building Program for Lower Basic Education. The program included 22 female teachers from five educational directorates in the West Bank. The ceremony was attended by representatives from the Ministry, staff from the institution, and several educational supervisors from the targeted directorates. Prior to the ceremony, the participating teachers presented their graduation projects.
In his speech, Anwar Abu Amash, Executive Director of Teach for Palestine Institution, emphasized the importance of the partnership between the TFP and the Ministry of Education. He praised the role played by the National Institute throughout all stages of the program’s implementation. He also confirmed that the program aligns with the TFP’s strategic vision of enhancing the quality of basic education in Palestinian schools by empowering educational staff and building sustainable professional learning communities.
He added that the program originated from a vision believed in and adopted by Dr. Tafida Jarbawi, Chair of the Board of Directors, who worked to turn this idea into reality through Teach for Palestine Institution. With the support of founding partner Mr. Ramez Al-Souso, along with the General Assembly and Board of Directors, the foundation for the institution's sustainability was laid. On a global level, Ms. Reem Marto, Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the Teach For All network, played an important role in providing technical support and strengthening Teach for Palestine’s relationship with other network members around the world.
In her speech, Dr. Suheir Al-Qassem, Director of the National Institute for Educational Training, affirmed that the Institute places special emphasis on developing and following up on empowerment programs for lower basic education teachers. She praised the collaborative role between the Ministry’s various departments and Teach for Palestine, and encouraged the participants to apply the skills they acquired in their classrooms and share their newly gained experiences with their colleagues.
At the end of the event, certificates and honorary plaques were presented to the participating teachers in recognition of their efforts and commitment during the training period, which spanned over a year and a half of practical training, educational reflection, and collaborative work.