Empowering Future Generations: Palestinian Education under Oppressive Conditions

This book deals with education, both its development aspect, which includes the accumulation of culture over time, and, the transfer of knowledge from one generation to the next, in order to enable it, through both the formal and informal educational processes, with emphasis on the organic relation between them, to reach an effective and complementary system of education, and to be able to participate effectively as well as to be accommodating. Accordingly, education must be continuous and flexible.

Based on our belief that the education process is part and parcel of the cultural scene, accordingly, it is not possible for this process to conclude without a close and organic relation between knowledge and culture. Hence, a fundamental factor for its success, is the amalgamation of education with the social and humanistic aspects of culture.

The placement of the education process in a shell (within the boundaries of the school and the university), etc, would result in its break-up. This would necessitate a review of the foundations of the education system and its basic principles, as well as, the whole educational structure, so that it would lead to the opening of this process and the tearing down of the traditional walls surrounding it.

We have raised several ideas, some fundamental, concerning what we know and what we should know and learn, and what our children should learn. We have also tried to raise questions concerning how to raise a new generation, with free and original thinking, rebelling against tyranny and persecution, insisting on questioning things around it, and asking important questions, rather than be interested and preoccupied with quick and routine questions.