For our last monthly meeting, we were pleased to welcome Saida Affouneh as our guest speaker.
Speaking to us from Nablus, via Zoom, Saida is a Professor in Emergency Education and Online Learning at An Najah National University. In her talk, Education as a tool for SUMUD, she outlined the necessary changes and adaptation of education in Palestine under genocide (Gaza) and occupation (Nablus). This applies to pupils, students and educators alike.
She detailed how Gaza has lost 100% of its formal education, through the physical destruction of schools, universities and learning materials and the dispersal and killing of teachers and lecturers. Meanwhile, Nablus faces its own difficulties, with checkpoints, night-time raids and arrests all causing severe disruption to learning.
In the face of this, the response has been informed by the Palestinian concept of Sumud – a combination of resilience and resistance. Saida described Sumud as “a bridge between pain and hope”. This has led to an increase in motivation for learning, fed by innovation and the development of new concepts of education.
Pedagogical resistance has, by necessity, led to a collective transformation of education practice. Saida was keen that other oppressed communities around the world learn from, and be inspired by, the Palestinian experience.
The practical solidarity needed includes the sharing of teaching materials and notes translated into Arabic and accredited; and volunteers to act as mentors assisting and encouraging students.