For the First Time: An Official Agreement to Enhance the Role of the General Union of Palestinian Students in the Field of Scholarships and Support for Trade Union Work

SadaNews - The General Union of Palestinian Students signed a cooperation agreement today, Tuesday, with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, aimed at enhancing coordination to serve students in all their locations, organizing student trade union work, and expanding the role of the union as a legitimate national representative of Palestinian students both domestically and abroad.

The ministry stated in a press release that the signing of this agreement, which is considered a historical step towards empowering Palestinian students, took place in the presence of Minister Amjad Barham, Assistant Undersecretary for Planning Shadi Al-Halou, Head of the Preparatory Committee of the Union Waseem Al-Jamal, and several committee members, in a meeting that reflects both parties' commitment to establishing an institutional partnership for student service.

According to the ministry, the agreement includes the following clauses:

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Fair distribution of scholarships, prioritizing the most needy categories, the children of martyrs, and prisoners.

Involving the union in the committees that sort scholarship applications.

Joint awareness campaigns about scholarships and application mechanisms.

Filling out the union's form as a condition for scholarship eligibility to ensure academic and social follow-up.

Student and Trade Union Activities

Supporting national, cultural, and social events organized by the union within universities, and providing the necessary spaces and facilities for them.

Capacity Building and Training

Implementing training programs in life and trade union skills, CV writing, employment, and legal awareness, along with workshops on student rights.

Support for Students Abroad

Monitoring the academic, administrative, and social affairs of Palestinian students through embassies and representative offices.

Scientific Research and Student Studies

Encouraging student research initiatives and exchanging data and statistics to develop educational policies.

The agreement also stipulates the formation of a joint working committee to develop an annual implementation plan, hold periodic meetings to monitor execution, assess achievements, and propose solutions to challenges.

The ministry emphasized in its statement that this agreement is the first of its kind and represents a turning point in the relationship between the General Union of Palestinian Students and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, in a bid to build a true national partnership that ensures the voice of students in educational decisions, protects their rights, and provides them with the necessary tools for success.