Ramadin al Janubi school

Starting 2013
Objective Rehabilitation of the primary school in Ramadin al Janubi – seam zone, Qalqilya Governorate, to guarantee the right of safe and healthy condition, right of education, to implement the primary education path for the Bedouin students and a safe and healthy working place for the school staff.
Project Status Completed
Technical Partner arco
– ARCO Architettura e Cooperazione
Funded by  UNDP – CRDP program

The village of Ar Ramadin al Janubi is situated in the seam zone and is collocated between the separation wall and Israel. The area is still West Bank, and the Bedouins of Ramadin are holding the Palestinian ID. The primary education path for children and boys of Ramadin, is a challenge.

The village has around 80 students  who attend school (primary and secondary) in Qalqilya and Habla. In the nearby  village of Abu Farda – Bedouin population and seam zone as well –  there are 40 additional students attending school in Qalqilya and Habla. Children and youth use a bus provided by DCO to go from Ar Ramadin al Janubi, through Habla check point, to primary and secondary schools in Qalqilya and Habla. The Habla check point is particularly tough, and is managed by private Israeli contractors. The 120 students (about 60% boys and 40% girls) from Ramadin and Abu Farda have to face some difficult situation such as long waiting (random and temporary closure of the gates, unjustified waits – as reported from the local community), harassment (bade behavior of the private guards, insults to the students, lack of respect – as reported from the local community),  and body search. Moreover the gate to access Qalqilya and Habla town is open limited hours (7-9 am, 1-2pm and 5-6 pm) during which the children must pass trough to reach school. In particular the girls are facing a difficult situation, connected with the local conservative culture, that  does not intend to expose women, girls included, to embarrassing and uncomfortable situation that could prejudge their “reputation”. As result, the level of drop out is high, and is effecting particularly the girls. Also for these reason, the percentage of boys  attending the school is higher than the women’s one. The Ramadin community leader reported that at least 8 students, mainly girls, dropped out in the last semester of the school year 2011/12.

Due to the problems described, the community is set up a primary school, composed by 3 classes + 1 teachers room (3 teachers + 1 director) and toilettes services with temporary structures (tents installed on concrete platform). At the moment the community school is actually serving approximately 30 students (10 girls, 20 boys) from grades 1-3 residing in Ramadin al Janubi. The community of Al Farda is, for the moment, decided to not send their children to the school considering the existing structure not adequate for the educational path. Goal of the project is to provide an adequate structure and to involve in the school also the Al Farda students.

The tents are temporary structures, and are very cold in winter and hot in summer. Will face moreover a fast deterioration due to the weather condition. The request of the community to VdT has been coordinated with the parties, included MoEHE, the local lawyer Mr Wi’am Shbeta, the Education Cluster, UNICEF, IPCC (International Peace Cooperation Center – Ramadin Master Plan proposal) and, is focused on the rehabilitation of  the already existing temporary structures and the increasing of the number of classrooms (without enlarge the size of the structure). The project foreseen the realization of rehabilitation works, without foundation construction, avoiding massive use of concrete and promoting as much as possible the use of natural materials and energies. The works will be realized from inside the existing tents to decrease the visibility, using as base the metal skeleton structure and the existing concrete platform,  will not expand the existing structure size to decrease potential legal complains from the ICA, and will promote, as later detailed described in the activities section, a low environmental rehabilitation, improving the condition of the school spaces. Furthermore, under the request of the local community and MoE, the works will double the number of classrooms adding internal separation  wall, taking the final number of classrooms up to 6,  increasing the number of students up to 60 and the number of teachers up to 6 (in agreement with the MoE – Qalqilya Directorate). Moreover will be realized the rehabilitation of the existing temporary toilettes.

The project will be implemented with particular attention towards gender mainstreaming. Both female and male teachers and school staff were consulted by Vento di Terra during the needs assessments. The rehabilitation work will also take in consideration the necessity to guarantee the access to disabled students.