UNRWA, British Council sign cooperation agreement to support Palestine refugee students

AMMAN — The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and the British Council signed a cooperation agreement in Amman on Monday. 

The agreement, signed between Chief Executive of the British Council Scott McDonald and UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini, is “an acknowledgment of the decade-long partnership in support of the agency’s education programme, which serves over half a million Palestine refugee students in the region”, said a UNRWA statement.

“Last year alone, 80 UNRWA schools were the winners of the British Council’s International School Award and many more schools before that,” Lazzarini said during the ceremony. 

He added that the agency is “innately proud” of its students and teachers across the region, whose “talent, skills and critical thinking can greatly benefit from this cooperation”. 

“As educators worldwide discuss the benefits and challenges of online learning, UNRWA is pioneering a digital learning programme that will protect students from learning disruptions in the case of crises. Lessons learned from conflicts and the COVID-19 closures have helped shape the agency’s approach,” he said.

The UNRWA-British Council agreement includes the Global Schools Programme, which helps build the capacity of teachers and connect local issues to global ones, including climate change, gender equality and the use of information technology in education. 

The agreement will also work towards expanding the agency’s English language programme in schools in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, the statement said.

“This long-standing partnership has been imperative in creating educational and professional development opportunities for young people,” McDonald said during his remarks. 

Mohammad Antara, a student in an UNRWA school, said during the ceremony that he won the British Council’s International Award for his participation in the “Human Rights Project”, focused on the social development theme, most notably equality, peace and justice.

“The activities were focused on educating students about their rights, as well as practising their rights and duties and applying them in their daily lives,” he added.

 “It started with a goal and turned into a success,” he noted.