The Follow-Up Committee on Arab Education held the Sixth Conference on Arab Education  on April 15, 2004 in Nazareth

    The sixth conference on Arab Education’s header was “towards the re-organization of Arab Education-Structure and Subject matter’; as this is an event which takes place once every five years, hundreds of educators, academics and researchers, public figures and representatives from a wide array of NGO’s and institutions participated in the conference; and over thirty academics, researchers and educational professionals in lectures, workshops and discussions.

     Many topics and perspectives regarding Arab Education were discussed at the Sixth Conference on Arab Education, during its workshops and during the study days which preceded the conference. The core conference discussion was aimed at summarizing the last five years of work at the Follow-Up Committee and formulating a future action strategic plan for the advancement of Arab Education and the achievement of full equality.
  
     The following decisions were approved after discussion and review during the study days and conference workshops:

1) The Follow-Up Committee appeals to The Ministry of Education and Culture to adopt the conclusions and recommendations  of the research study titled “ the Alternative Structure of the Arab Educational System”; within the framework of the reorganization of the Ministry of Education and Culture, to establish an Arab Educational Administration with its own  special Pedagogical Secretariat.
2) To apply the extended study program in the area of education for national identity, in all Arab High Schools. This project aims to be adopted by the Arab Local Councils who will be responsible for applying and financing the programs.
3) To scientifically and professionally revise and modify curricula and text books in all study areas, so that they will be appropriate for today’s Arab pupils in light of their current cultural and national identity.
4) The Follow-Up Committee appeals to the Ministry of Education and Culture to implement the goals of Arab Education devised in the conference and distributed to all Arab Schools,   as guidelines for the objectives of all specific programs and curricula.
5) To take joint action with other NGO’s and institutions working in fields of law and human rights in order to obtain recognition on a variety of levels for all Arab localities in areas of national priority, according to the current criteria.
6) To demand that the government administer equalitarian budget allocation to the Arab Educational System, Arab pupils, NGO’s and institutions serving Arab youth in all areas including: construction, teaching hours, special education, science and technology, additional services and supportive elements, curricula, text books and teacher training programs.
7) Complete implementation of the Law for Mandatory and Free Education for children above the age of three in all Arab localities especially including those which are not recognized and preparation of the required infrastructure to facilitate the necessary structures.
8) To take action for the reform of the traditional teaching methods replacing them with more contemporary ones, adjusting the curricula, and teacher training accordingly.
9) The Ministry of Education is urged to broadly increase job posts  in the areas of supervision, and professional management, thus enabling educational supervisors to create educational and cultural programs and to implement them with school personnel;  reinforcing them with follow-up and evaluation.
10) The Ministry of Education and Culture will expand the job posts and professional hours for educational and psychological counselors, truancy officers and social workers in all educational facilities and institutions and to train the necessary human resources to fill these positions.
11) Full enforcement of the Law for Special Education especially providing  the appropriate educational frameworks and facilities for pupils with special needs; including the necessary medical and Para-medical services required, sufficient teaching hours and the training of  appropriate professionals. 
12) To develop the integration program for children with special needs, incorporating them into mainstream educational facilities in order to close gaps between the allocated integration hours in Arab Education and the actual needs according to the criteria set by the Jewish Sector and the full application of Supreme Court decisions in this area.
13) The Israeli Government will immediately acknowledge all unrecognized Arab localities and will provide them will all necessary infrastructures and services. The Ministry of Education will provide all of the educational services which are required for the children in these localities.
14) The development of an educational program for the teaching of Democracy, tolerance and mutual respect in a multi-cultural educational system; calling for all public and State Arab organizations to take on this subject.
15) Appealing to the Ministry of Education and Culture to operate according to new and transparent criteria and parameters with regard to budget allocations of the Arab youth movements by allotting them the budget they are entitled to according to the percentages of Arab pupils in the general population.
16) Demanding the Ministry of Education and Culture to apply the decisions made with regard to the establishment of an Arab Academic College in Nazareth and preparation of all fundamental conditions for ensuring its development towards becoming an Arab University.
17) Instructing the Ministry of Education and Culture to prepare sincere and accurate curricula in the areas of History, Arab Language, Literature, Palestinian Culture and Folklore for teaching Jewish pupils in the country.
18) Expansion of curricula in the informal educational system by appropriating budgets and training professional educators to apply the programs and activities to youth and to society at large.
19) Support and encouragement of Arab students to obtain academic degrees; reform of the psychometric examinations for Arab students and the re-application of the matriculation examination results as the sole criteria for admittance of Arab students to Universities, as well as  increasing scholarships for Arab students, and their integration  into various educational projects.
20)    Calling on the Council for Higher Education to delegate openings for Arab students in fields which are essential to the Arab community and where professional resources are lacking such as: Psychology, Educational Counseling, and Para-medical fields such as speech therapy, as well as other therapeutic services.
21) Absorption and integration of Arab Academics in all Government offices and Civil services.
22) Insisting that the Ministry of Education and Culture allocate the necessary budgets for guarding and maintenance of all educational facilities in the Arab community and to provide all of the requirements for the safety and security of the pupils, equivalent to the standards in Jewish schools.
23) Calling on all Arab local councils to give preference to education and culture and to use objective criteria when appointing personnel  positions.
24)  Calling attention to all educators to view their work as a national cause guided by moral and conscientious discretion.
25) Calling to Parent Committees, leading school staffs and local councils to raise the level of cooperation between them and to work together for the sake of the pupil's best interests.
26) Calling to all Heads of Arab Local Council to promote and reinforce all of the departments of education serving their populations, and to provide for all the material and professional needs, enabling the various departments to function at their best and to directing the local and national educational and cultural work towards success and significant achievements.

The List