Outline of the Project

Title

Palestine - Japan Education Cooperation for mathematics and science Curriculum Development – PAJEC

Country

Palestine territories

Date of RD signed

August 22, 2016

Project Site

The West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Term of Cooperation

November 21, 2016 - November 30, 2018

Counterpart of the project

Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE)

Background

Palestine addresses human resources development as one of the priorities in the process of state-building. Access to education, as the foundation of the human resources development, has reached 95% of the net enrollment rate in primary education as equal level as the average of other Arab nations by the successful implementation of Policy Strategy for Promotion of Primary Education (Grade 1 to 10). JICA also has contributed to improving the access of education by constructing primary schools through the Grand Aid.

On the other hand, quality of education remains as a challenge. World Bank Report in 2006 pointed out the issue of the current curriculum and crammed textbook contents in primary education by the fact that incompletion of textbook contents within allocated teaching hours in each academic year. MOEHE also recognizes that less than 20% of the Palestinian students choose science stream as their career options in Grade 11 despite Ministry's effort in strengthening science education by introducing new science subject "technology" as mandatory subject from Grade 5.

To tackle the issues in quality of education in mathematics and science, the capacity of the personnel concerned in the reform of curriculum, textbooks in primary education for mathematics and science needs to be strengthened.

Based on the situation above, MOEHE requested a Technical Cooperation Project from the Government of Japan (GOJ) in August 2013 to upgrade teaching, curriculum, textbooks in science education for primary grades. During the Data Collection Survey in Education Sector in March 2014 and the Detailed Planning Surveys conducted so far, both MOEHE and JICA confirmed the strong and urgent needs for the Technical Cooperation Project in capacity development for the reform of curriculum and textbooks in primary mathematics and science education as the one of the top priorities in the Education Development Strategic Plan for 2014-2019.

Goals

Project Goal

Quality of textbooks and other relevant teaching and learning materials of Mathematics and Science is improved.

Outputs

1. Knowledge and skills of the coordinators and authors are enhanced for developing/revising textbooks and other relevant teaching and learning materials of Mathematics and Science.
2. Reference material for developing/ revising textbooks and other relevant teaching and learning materials of Mathematics and Science is developed

Activities

[Output 1]

1-1	Make proposal by reviewing drafts of textbooks of Mathematics and Science for Grade 1 to 9.
1-2	Conduct textbook authors meetings by referring the proposal made in activity 1-1.
1-3	Revise the draft of textbooks.
1-4	Conduct validation in the validation schools.
1-5	Conduct workshops regularly to strengthen the capacity of coordinators and authors to develop the textbooks.
1-6	Implement other related activities for textbook development including developing teacher's guides and developing materials for central training.

[Output 2]

2-1	Conduct a training programme in Japan for senior officers involved in curriculum/textbook development.
2-2	Develop proposals for improving the process of curriculum reform and textbook development based on what they have learnt in the training in Japan.
2-3	Conduct a workshop to share what they have learned in Japan to improve textbook development and the process of curriculum reform.
2-4	Develop a reference material to be used for the current textbook development and future curriculum development plan based on the issues identified, and comments made in the workshops of activity 1-5 and 2-3.

Input

Japanese side

1. Dispatch of experts as advisors
2. Training in Japan

Palestinian side

1. Services of MOEHE's counterpart personnel and administrative personnel
   Project Director (Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education)
   Project Manager (Director General of the Palestine Curriculum Development Center)
   Assign the staff of the MOEHE in accordance with the areas of expertise of Japanese experts
2. Suitable office space for JICA experts with necessary equipment