Al-Yarmouk/Alma School My Voice My School Al-Yarmouk/Alma School

“My Voice My School is an education project rooted in student voice “My Voice My School is an education project rooted in student voice. It puts children at the heart of the conversation of what education should look like and appeals to the international community to continue to prioritise education funding.” Dr. Caroline Pontefract, Director of Education, UNRWA.

UNRWA students from Al-Yarmouk/Alma School have been working for six weeks with a class in the UK to explore how education can be improved. They did together their best throughout 'My Voice– My School' Project to propose new ideas which may improve the UN Global Goal; Quality Education. Over the past six weeks we did our best to reach the objectives set. We have talked twice via Skype, researched ideas and conducted surveys to develop plans for improving Quality Education. Our participants was very varied and they included teachers, students, parents and members from the local community. They gave us their views about the proposed ideas set in our survey.

Surveys

We may reduce the dropout phenomenon in case we apply the followings:

Group 1 Statements Boys Girls   Boys Girls Statements No 80% 55% Activate the role of educational counselor to help students. 1 90% 100% Being fair and not discriminative in dealing among students inside the school. 2 Prevent all kinds of punishment in schools (physically and psychologically). 3 The teacher should help/ give a hand to students to define/treat their weaknesses. 4 Let students be involved in activities they love/like. 5 85% 75% Use varieties/diversity of teaching methods 6

Group 2 Statements Boys Girls   Boys Girls Statements No 90% 80% Activate the role of educational counselor to help students. 1 75% Being fair and not discriminative in dealing among students inside the school. 2 100% 70% Prevent all kinds of punishment in schools (physically and psychologically). 3 95% The teacher should help/ give a hand to students to define/treat their weaknesses. 4 Let students be involved in activities they love/like. 5 Use varieties/diversity of teaching methods 6

Our school would be encouraging and learning would be easier if we did the following

Group 1 Statements Boys Girls   Boys Girls Statements No 85% 90% Assign number of permanent psychosocial counselors. 1 95% 60% Put/design special curriculum for students with special needs 2 75% Put tests that suits the students with special needs 3 70% Merge/Integrate/ the students who have special needs with the other students 4 55% Design movable elevator and special paths for handicapped students 5 Assign a number of specialists to teach students with special needs 6 Find a suitable environment to teach the students with special needs 7 100% To accept and respect students with special needs. 8

Group 2 Statements Boys Girls   Boys Girls Statements No 80% 90% Assign number of permanent psychosocial counselors. 1 95% 55% Put/design special curriculum for students with special needs 2 50% Put tests that suits the students with special needs 3 65% 85% Merge/Integrate/ the students who have special needs with the other students 4 70% Design movable elevator and special paths for handicapped students 5 Assign a number of specialists to teach students with special needs 6 75% Find a suitable environment to teach the students with special needs 7 100% To accept and respect students with special needs. 8

Our school would be more beautiful and a happier place if we did the following:

Group 1 Statements Boys Girls 90% 95% If the schoolyard was bigger. 1   Boys Girls Statements No 90% 95% If the schoolyard was bigger. 1 40% The diversity of playing equipment to adopt all ages. 2 80% If there were school library with lots of books and resources. 3 65% If there were school atelier for students to use in drawing lessons. 4 85% If there were a healthcare center inside school. 5 100% If there were a computer laboratory with modern equipment. 6 25% If we had a hall for physical fitness and gymnastics. 7 55% 35% If there were reasonable numbers of students in classes. 8

Group 2 Statements Boys Girls 100% 80% If the schoolyard was bigger. 1   Boys Girls Statements No 100% 80% If the schoolyard was bigger. 1 70% 30% The diversity of playing equipment to adopt all ages. 2 95% 90% If there were school library with lots of books and resources. 3 55% If there were school atelier for students to use in drawing lessons. 4 65% If there were a healthcare center inside school. 5 85% If there were a computer laboratory with modern equipment. 6 60% 40% If we had a hall for physical fitness and gymnastics. 7 If there were reasonable numbers of students in classes. 8

Findings

We’d like to thank ' My Voice - My School' Project which has given us the chance to go through a real life experience that will eventually lead to linking education with reality.

For more information, please Contact: Mr. Awad Abedallah Teacher awadabedallah@gmail.com Mrs. Nourhan Abdulhafeez Project Unit n.abdulhafeez@unrwa.org