COVID19: Education & Food for Palestinian Children

TYO is pleased to announce the newest addition to its programming for school-aged children. Academic instruction in public schools in Nablus is very weak and there is a great need for additional academic support.The education system, from primary to higher education, stresses rote learning and educators are often ill equipped and unable to provide additional support outside the classroom. To increase our support to children, this spring we launched a pilot after-school academic tutoring program for students in grades 4, 5 and 6. Focusing on math, English and Arabic, the children’s’ commitment has been remarkably high. Led by a group of 51 university youth volunteers, over 100 students attend the TYO Center four days a week for our academic tutoring program. The students have voiced that the program has helped them tremendously. We interviewed Mariam, Abudl Aziz and Shahd, to learn more about how the program has benefitted them.

Mariam, 5^th grade:

I registered for this program because I want to be better in English. I was so happy when this class was being offered because I know TYO is a safe place to learn. My teacher yells at me at school and I am scared to raise my hand or ask questions. At home, my mom has no time to help me study because she’s busy helping my younger brothers and sisters. I felt that I want somebody to help me. At TYO I have Khaltu Malak to help me understand what I’m reading and to teach me how to write correctly. She also has a lot of vocabulary. I feel excellent now because I learned new words and my handwriting is better. But I’m still scared of my tough teacher at school.

I really recommend this program to other kids! I have encouraged a lot of girls in my school to register because there are many who need help and who are always being sent to the principal’s office at school for not understanding assignments. If they get help at TYO, they don’t have to be punished at school, they develop their English and they will feel better about themselves. And my mom is very grateful because she feels that because of this program, I’ve gotten better at school. Please don’t stop this program. It should be continued because we’re doing better at school!

Abdul Aziz, 5^th grade:

I like this program because of the academic focus. I feel like I’m good in Arabic and math but English is my struggle. I can read English but I don’t understand what I’m reading. I feel that I’m getting a bit better, but I wish the program would never end. I want to be better and smarter. At home they help me but here at TYO, I feel that I have more individual attention. My family is very happy to have me in this program because they see progress in me. I want to be a surgeon when I grow up and I heard that if you want to be a surgeon you need to read and write English. Also if there’s a group of foreigners visiting me in the hospital, I should be able to speak with them. I like the program because I’m learning but I’m a fast learner and so I also like helping other kids learn too. I like the volunteer teachers at TYO very much because they respect me a lot.

Shahd, 4^th grade:

The academic program is very nice. I learned things I never learned at school. I’m getting better and smarter. The teachers at school are surprised when I answer questions correctly and one teacher was so proud and surprised, she asked the other students to clap for me. I like to come here every day and TYO has become part of my family. Last week when I get home after TYO, my mom asked me if I studied at TYO, and I said yes. She asked me if I understood what was being taught and then reviewed the material with me. When she found out that I have learned the material, she said, “TYO is really is great!” I’m so happy because I’m young and still in 4^th grade and that means I can still keep coming for academic support next year when I’m in the 5^th grade.