New programme qualifies Palestine students for Ivy League schools
By Zena
Tahhan, Al Jazeera, March 14, 2018
Programme
graduates its first batch of 110 students, with 50 receiving early acceptances
into schools such as Harvard.
graduates its first batch of 110 students, with 50 receiving early acceptances
into schools such as Harvard.
 |
| The $2m initiative, called Bridge Palestine, is the first programme of its kind in the country [Courtesy of Taawon] |
Nora
Marzouqa, a 17-year-old Palestinian from Bethlehem, has wanted to study at
Harvard University for as long as she can remember.
Marzouqa, a 17-year-old Palestinian from Bethlehem, has wanted to study at
Harvard University for as long as she can remember.
But the
aspiring doctor and skilled debater grew up believing her dream was out of
reach.
aspiring doctor and skilled debater grew up believing her dream was out of
reach.
“I’ve
seen my family members try to study abroad but they couldn’t for financial
reasons, and also because we have to do the Tawjihi [Palestinian matriculation
exam] and most universities abroad don’t recognise these test scores,” she
tells Al Jazeera.
seen my family members try to study abroad but they couldn’t for financial
reasons, and also because we have to do the Tawjihi [Palestinian matriculation
exam] and most universities abroad don’t recognise these test scores,” she
tells Al Jazeera.
“It
just seemed impossible for me – I didn’t know what the process was or how to go
about doing it.”
just seemed impossible for me – I didn’t know what the process was or how to go
about doing it.”
When she
reached the tenth grade, aged 14, Nora heard about a new, national, three-year
education programme that promised high school students acceptance into top
universities in the United States
and the UK.
reached the tenth grade, aged 14, Nora heard about a new, national, three-year
education programme that promised high school students acceptance into top
universities in the United States
and the UK.
The
initiative, called Bridge Palestine, is the first programme of its kind in the
country. It aims to fill the gaps in the local education system by providing
after-school classes designed to train high-potential students to compete for
education abroad.
initiative, called Bridge Palestine, is the first programme of its kind in the
country. It aims to fill the gaps in the local education system by providing
after-school classes designed to train high-potential students to compete for
education abroad.
The $2m
project was launched by Taawon, the largest Palestinian non-profit organisation
committed to local development.
project was launched by Taawon, the largest Palestinian non-profit organisation
committed to local development.
“It
is very important for us to say that here we are, we are Palestinians, we are
under occupation, and because of that, we are unable to access good
education. Now, we’re doing this to prove that we can challenge this
reality.”Tafeeda
Jarbawi, director general of Taawon
Out of
3,350 applicants to the programme from across historic Palestine,
Nora was one of 400 students to succeed.
3,350 applicants to the programme from across historic Palestine,
Nora was one of 400 students to succeed.
After
completing Bridge Palestine, she received her acceptance letter from Harvard
University, on her 17th birthday.
completing Bridge Palestine, she received her acceptance letter from Harvard
University, on her 17th birthday.
“It
was a surreal feeling,” she says, adding that she won an 85 percent
scholarship.
was a surreal feeling,” she says, adding that she won an 85 percent
scholarship.
|
The
ambitious teenager was captain of the Palestinian national debate team for two
years, competing in international school championships in Singapore, Germany
and Slovenia.
“I
met a lot of people that ended up going to prestigious universities,” says
Nora.
met a lot of people that ended up going to prestigious universities,” says
Nora.
“Participating
in these championships allowed me to see that I’m not very different from the
people that get into these universities.”
in these championships allowed me to see that I’m not very different from the
people that get into these universities.”
That is
the exact message of the programme that helped propel Nora to Harvard
University: that Palestinian students can do it, too.
the exact message of the programme that helped propel Nora to Harvard
University: that Palestinian students can do it, too.
‘Best
investment for Palestine’
investment for Palestine’
Although
400 students were accepted into the programme at the beginning, the students
were filtered each year based on their skills and qualifications to continue in
the programme and apply for universities abroad, leaving 110 students who
managed to graduate.
400 students were accepted into the programme at the beginning, the students
were filtered each year based on their skills and qualifications to continue in
the programme and apply for universities abroad, leaving 110 students who
managed to graduate.
So far,
50 students have received early acceptances into world-class universities such
as Stanford University, King’s College London and the University of Manchester,
with 60 remaining candidates hoping to hear back within the next few months.
50 students have received early acceptances into world-class universities such
as Stanford University, King’s College London and the University of Manchester,
with 60 remaining candidates hoping to hear back within the next few months.
To get
into Bridge Palestine, applicants had to pass three stages: an aptitude test,
group and one-on-one interviews, as well as tests on their ability to solve
problems and challenges.
into Bridge Palestine, applicants had to pass three stages: an aptitude test,
group and one-on-one interviews, as well as tests on their ability to solve
problems and challenges.
 |
| A delegation of students was sent to US universities for a month to learn about the education system, as part of the programme [Courtesy of Taawon] |
According
to Tafeeda Jarbawi, director-general of Taawon, the programme employed positive
discrimination to increase the representation of women and underprivileged
students.
to Tafeeda Jarbawi, director-general of Taawon, the programme employed positive
discrimination to increase the representation of women and underprivileged
students.
“We
teach them how to write good essays, how to succeed in interviews, how to be
good citizens, the basic skills of dialogue, how to be rationally and not
emotionally driven, what types of questions they should ask, how to have an
open mind and be open to diversity,” Jarbawi told Al Jazeera from the
occupied West Bank
town of Ramallah.
teach them how to write good essays, how to succeed in interviews, how to be
good citizens, the basic skills of dialogue, how to be rationally and not
emotionally driven, what types of questions they should ask, how to have an
open mind and be open to diversity,” Jarbawi told Al Jazeera from the
occupied West Bank
town of Ramallah.
“I
truly believe that if these people come back to Palestine, they will make a
big difference. They will come back as leaders.”Tafeeda
Jarbawi, director general of Taawon
Over the
summer, a delegation of students was sent to US universities for a month to
learn about the education system and the different types of professions they
might consider.
summer, a delegation of students was sent to US universities for a month to
learn about the education system and the different types of professions they
might consider.
“Every
day, they would bring a different person to talk to us about their profession.
For example, a police officer. They would talk to us for an hour and answer all
our questions about their field of work so that it would be like career
guidance,” Akram Sbeih, a student who was accepted into Stanford
University, told Al Jazeera.
day, they would bring a different person to talk to us about their profession.
For example, a police officer. They would talk to us for an hour and answer all
our questions about their field of work so that it would be like career
guidance,” Akram Sbeih, a student who was accepted into Stanford
University, told Al Jazeera.
 |
| Akram Sbeih, 17, is from the village of Kufr Rai in the northern West Bank [Courtesy of Taawon] |
Taawon is
now considering transforming the project into an academy.
now considering transforming the project into an academy.
“When
the student graduates and becomes a scientist or an economist or even comes
back [to Palestine] to work in politics and tries to solve social or political
problems, then this investment is really the best investment for Palestine and
for the Arab world,” said Jarbawi.
the student graduates and becomes a scientist or an economist or even comes
back [to Palestine] to work in politics and tries to solve social or political
problems, then this investment is really the best investment for Palestine and
for the Arab world,” said Jarbawi.
She
believes that the programme is required to remedy many problems within the
local education system as well as those resulting from the Israeli occupation –
namely, restrictions on the Palestinian curriculum and funding.
believes that the programme is required to remedy many problems within the
local education system as well as those resulting from the Israeli occupation –
namely, restrictions on the Palestinian curriculum and funding.
Filling
the gaps
the gaps
Yahya
Hijazi, an education researcher working at Al Quds University, says that
schools across historic Palestine tend not to have the capacity to prepare
students for acceptance into universities abroad.
Hijazi, an education researcher working at Al Quds University, says that
schools across historic Palestine tend not to have the capacity to prepare
students for acceptance into universities abroad.
“The
principal problem is that the educational system is very traditional. They do
not have the resources and there is no one to light the spark of excellence and
creativity within the students,” Hijazi tells Al Jazeera from Jerusalem.
principal problem is that the educational system is very traditional. They do
not have the resources and there is no one to light the spark of excellence and
creativity within the students,” Hijazi tells Al Jazeera from Jerusalem.
“If
I’m spending six or seven years of my life abroad to learn, I want to come
back and provide Palestine with new solutions.”Marah
Akhdar, accepted into King’s College London
“All
that is linked to the student’s personality, their ability to take decisions,
to express themselves, to change, to lead, to engage in discussions and
debates, to write well, to propose an idea or critique it – these things do not
exist in our books, unfortunately,” he adds.
that is linked to the student’s personality, their ability to take decisions,
to express themselves, to change, to lead, to engage in discussions and
debates, to write well, to propose an idea or critique it – these things do not
exist in our books, unfortunately,” he adds.
“The
students who have a lot of potential do not have the opportunity to explore
their skills and develop them.”
students who have a lot of potential do not have the opportunity to explore
their skills and develop them.”
Funding
But while
Bridge Palestine may offer students a chance to study abroad, it cannot secure
scholarships or funding for them.
Bridge Palestine may offer students a chance to study abroad, it cannot secure
scholarships or funding for them.
Marah
Akhdar, a student from Beit Hanina in Jerusalem, was accepted into King’s
College London to study medicine, but she has not yet been able to secure
funding.
Akhdar, a student from Beit Hanina in Jerusalem, was accepted into King’s
College London to study medicine, but she has not yet been able to secure
funding.
“Nothing
is certain until we secure the funds for my tuition,” she tells Al
Jazeera.
is certain until we secure the funds for my tuition,” she tells Al
Jazeera.
“Not
getting a scholarship is my biggest fear,” continues Marah, who hopes to
become a cardiothoracic surgeon.
getting a scholarship is my biggest fear,” continues Marah, who hopes to
become a cardiothoracic surgeon.
Taawon is set to launch a fundraising campaign. If the tuition fees are not
collected, however, Jarbawi says the association’s board members will step in.
“The students knew from the very beginning that this is not about securing
scholarships – it’s about securing acceptances – but we’re not leaving them
alone,” she says.
“This
is an issue that we raised right at the inception of the programme. But it is
very important for us to say that here we are, we are Palestinians, we are
under occupation, and because of that, we are unable to access good education.
Now, we’re doing this to prove that we can challenge this reality,” says
Jarbawi.
is an issue that we raised right at the inception of the programme. But it is
very important for us to say that here we are, we are Palestinians, we are
under occupation, and because of that, we are unable to access good education.
Now, we’re doing this to prove that we can challenge this reality,” says
Jarbawi.
“I
truly believe that if these people come back to Palestine, they will make a big
difference. They will come back as leaders.”
truly believe that if these people come back to Palestine, they will make a big
difference. They will come back as leaders.”
 |
| The programme incorporates students from across historic Palestine, including Gaza [Courtesy of Taawon] |
The
students themselves are also eager to return and contribute.
Akram,
who was accepted into Stanford, wants to study computer science.
“Programming companies can bring in a lot of revenue for Palestine by
exporting their programmes abroad,” he says.
who was accepted into Stanford, wants to study computer science.
“Programming companies can bring in a lot of revenue for Palestine by
exporting their programmes abroad,” he says.
Similarly,
Marah, the aspiring heart surgeon, says she wants to improve the Palestinian
health sector.
Marah, the aspiring heart surgeon, says she wants to improve the Palestinian
health sector.
“If
I’m spending six or seven years of my life abroad to learn, I want to come back
and provide Palestine with new solutions.
I’m spending six or seven years of my life abroad to learn, I want to come back
and provide Palestine with new solutions.
“When
you look at universities abroad, you feel that they can give you an edge, that
they can teach you new things so that you can implement them back home.”
you look at universities abroad, you feel that they can give you an edge, that
they can teach you new things so that you can implement them back home.”
