Cairo: The 108th session of the Committee for Educational Programs for Arab Students in the Occupied Arab Territories launched on Sunday at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, marking the beginning of a five-day conference.

According to Qatar News Agency, the assistant undersecretary for educational affairs at the Palestinian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Ayoub Alian, emphasized that the session is taking place amidst severe challenges in the Palestinian territories, notably in Gaza. He stated that over 93% of schools have been destroyed by Israeli occupation forces. The situation has resulted in the loss of more than 12,000 students, along with 400 teachers and 200 university faculty members, severely impacting Palestinians’ access to education.

Dr. Ahmed Al Laithi, a representative of the Arab League of Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), expressed that the session is set to address the detrimental actions of the Israeli occupation army on the Palesti
nian education system. This includes the demolition of educational facilities, interference with curricula, and overall hindrance to educational progress.

He further noted that the session would explore the potential of E-education and digital educational services to mitigate the loss of traditional learning opportunities caused by these repressive measures. Dr. Al Laithi also mentioned that various institutions and delegations presented their strategies for enhancing education in the occupied Palestinian territories. These recommendations will be forwarded to the General Secretariat of the Arab League for consideration and potential implementation to bolster educational support in Palestine against ongoing challenges.