Under the patronage and participation of Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Amjad Barham, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed yesterday at the Ministry of Education headquarters between Taawon and several universities in Gaza (Al-Azhar University, Islamic University, and Al-Aqsa University) to launch the " ISNAD” Program for Student Support and University Education in Gaza."
The MoU was signed by Minister Barham as the program’s patron and the Director General of Taawon, Dr. Tareq Emtairah, in the presence of Dr. Basri Saleh, Undersecretary of Higher Education; Dr. Mo’amar Shteiwi, Head of the National Commission for Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Higher Education Institutions; Dr. Shadi Al-Helo, Assistant Undersecretary and Director General of Scholarships and Student Services; Dr. Ehab Al-Qabaj, Minister's Advisor; Mr. Sadiq Al-Khadour, Assistant Undersecretary for Student Affairs; and Ms. Anhar Qatouni, Head of the Public and International Relations Unit at Higher Education. Additionally, the event was attended via Zoom by Dr. Omar Milad, President of Al-Azhar University; Dr. Nasr Al-Din Al-Mazini, representing the President of the Islamic University; Dr. Ayman Subuh, President of Al-Aqsa University; and Mr. Saad Abdelhadi, Chairman of the General Assembly of Taawon.
The agreement aims to develop and implement the "ISNAD" program to provide scholarships that contribute to covering tuition fees for students enrolled in the aforementioned universities, enabling them to resume their studies, whether through distance learning or in-person education, as conditions allow, given the ongoing attack on the Gaza Strip.
The memorandum also includes cooperation between the two parties to provide funding and support for the program, promote it among their donor networks, and establish general guidelines for managing and implementing the program in collaboration with relevant authorities to support and adopt its objectives.
In this context, Minister Barham emphasized the Ministry's continued efforts to support education in Gaza amidst the ongoing attack. He noted that the Ministry has made significant efforts to ensure that Gaza university students can resume their education, whether in West Bank universities or through distance learning from their home universities in Gaza, appreciating Taawon’s efforts in supporting the Ministry in this endeavor.
Dr. Emtairah, highlighted the importance of this memorandum, emphasizing collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to ensure that Gaza university students and professors continue their educational journey despite the challenging circumstances. He noted that Taawon aims, through this program, to provide 30,000 scholarships to cover tuition fees for 15,000 students in the targeted universities during their final years of study, with the goal of helping them graduate.
