Educating the human spirit in times of conflict: the case of emergency education in Palestine

Many reports have highlighted the vulnerability of children's rights during times of conflict, and emergency education has come into being as a way of ensuring that children's educational needs are met in crisis situations. But how far can emergency education provide meaningful values education? The first section of this article examines the concept of emergency education and its strengths and limitations with reference to children's spiritual needs. The second section provides some contextual information on education in Palestine and on the emergency policies that have been introduced to lessen the impact of continuing occupation and conflict on children's everyday experiences. The third section draws on interviews with young Palestinians carried out in summer 2005 in an attempt to explore the way the ongoing conflict is affecting their developing attitudes and values. The final section reflects on the spiritual and other needs of Palestinian children and on possible ways forward.