Upgrading Schools in the West Bank – An Elementary School for Girls and Boys

Nour al-Quds School is located in Jerusalem, in the Ras al Amoud / Silwan neighbourhood. It is part of the educational, developmental and cultural non-profit institution ‘Noor al-Quds’, established in 2005. The school currently has enrolled more than 700 students (boys and girls) from kindergarten through to eighth grade. This school, under the society’s administration, is not supported by the Palestinian Authority’ Ministry of Education, or by the Israeli Government / local municipality. 

The society’s objective is to build a culturally and socially stronger Jerusalemite generation, with the belief that the education children receive is integral to societal development. The society is located about 500 meters from the Old City of Jerusalem, in one of the most marginalized and overcrowded areas. This area lacks the presence of cultural or educational centres and sports clubs that students need to meet and enjoy out of school social, cultural, and sports activities.

The society coordinates a range of social, cultural, and developmental programmes to increase the children’s skills & knowledge to develop and expand their capacities as future citizens who care about their local community. Pre-school and after-school enrichment activities are provided for students, to enhance the educational learning of the classroom.

In 2018, the school won Welfare Association’s Award for ‘Outstanding School’ for their innovative educational programme. A number of projects have been implemented by WA at this school, such as: Supporting Early Childhood Educational Development at Noor Al-Quds Kindergarten in 2016, Addition of new classes and rehabilitation of washrooms in 2019, and Restoration of a meeting hall in 2021. This infrastructure project in 2022, supported the school’s provision of a safe educational environment for students in a very marginalized area in Jerusalem by replacing and upgrading the electrical networks and systems.

The school’s aged electricity network became unsafe and urgently required upgrading. This issue was impacting lessons in the laboratories, the computer network, and the internet connection. If the electricity network deteriorated any further the school would have needed to close for the safety of staff and students, which would have left 700 students without a school.

The project completed the required safety and renovation works at Nour Al Quds Elementary School, allowing education provision for marginalised students to continue. The main components were: electrical earthing works for the building, electrical cabling, renewing electrical panels, renewing electrical networks, electricity company test, and increasing the electrical subscription.

The project was completed in late 2022 and will benefit more than 700 students annually. The teachers and administration will benefit from this project through the improved educational environment.