The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation

UNRWA also provides technical and vocational training opportunities to
about 1300 pupils through two training centres.
Education is UNRWA’s largest programme, accounting for more than
half of the Agency’s regular budget. UNRWA pupils are among the most
highly educated in the region. Since the 1960s, girls have made up
around half of UNRWA’s pupils.
Millennium Development Goals
One of UNRWA’s main goals is to provide refugees with appropriate
knowledge and skills through universal primary education. This is in line
with our commitment to human development for refugees, and to the
Millennium Development Goal Two. UNRWA is committed to provide
education of a high quality and content in accordance with international
standards and good practices, measured by actual learning outcomes
for children.
Vocational training centres
In addition to running schools, UNRWA has developed further education -
al opportunities. The Agency has two vocational training centres in Gaza,
which provide skills training in a number of fields. The centres teach
market-relevant skills to help Palestinian refugee youth find employment
after graduation, and reduce the high levels of refugee unemployment.
Initiatives and projects adopted and implemented
by the education programme to overcome the challenges in Gaza
Schools of Excellence
Educational standards have collapsed under the strain of poverty and
chronic under-funding. Through its Schools of Excellence project, introduced
in 2007, UNRWA seeks to reverse this decline, by emphasizing
remedial education, a focus on core subjects, extra-curricular activities,
basic support to pupils, pupil values and behaviour, improved pupil-teach -
er contact time and attention for children with special needs. It prepares
pupils to become global citizens, respectful of one another and of differences
among people.
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