The Elections Education in Schools 2009 project was based upon similar projects previously implemented by the CEC to improve elections education among Palestinian youth. The project was carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and UNRWA and with the financial support of the EU.
The main objective of this project was to increase electoral knowledge among eighth-grade students and civic education teachers in 107 schools by way of mock elections conducted by the students under the supervision of the teachers. These mock elections were carried out once a week for a period of six weeks.
The 2009 project was expanded to include a number of private schools, UNRWA schools, and public schools. A total of 8600 students and 126 teachers participated in the project.
For further information, click on:
Elections in Palestine Guide The project in photos
The project was divided into four stages:
1. First stage: 15 September to 28 October 2008
Coordinating with the Ministry of Education to select the schools where the project would be carried out, planning and preparing the materials needed for the following six weeks.
2. Second stage: 1-2 November 2008
Training the teachers on how to conduct mock elections; introducing teachers to the vision and objectives of the project; preparing, printing, and distributing materials to the electoral districts as planned. The Ministry of Education delivered the materials to the schools.
3. Third stage: 3 November to 15 December 2008
Implementing the project, delivering an introduction to the electoral process in Palestine, conducting mock elections in selected ninth-grade civic education classes.
4. Fourth stage: 15 December 2008 to 25 January 2009
Evaluating the project and preparing the final report.
Main objectives of the project were:
• To raise the Palestinian youth awareness about the electoral process
By distributing 65,000 brochures on the elections to ninth- grade students in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.
• To underline the meaning of elections through mock elections
1. To conduct mock elections for approximately 10,000 students.
2. To distribute 500 promotional posters to 106 schools.
3. To distribute gifts to the students who participated in the project.
• To improve elections education among ninth-grade civic education teachers:
1. To conduct training workshops for 150 teachers about the electoral process.
2. To provide targeted teachers with printed guidebooks and manuals to use as references.
Elections in Palestine Guide
The project in photos
During the period 22 July and 12 August 2007, the CEC implemented a project entitled "Youth Leadership Elections in Summer Camps".
The CEC carried out this project in order to enhance elections education among Palestinian youth and promote the idea of democratic participation, not only in theory but also in practice.
The CEC signed a memorandum of cooperation with the National Committee for Summer Camps at the Ministry of Youth and Sports to implement the project in 22 of its summer camps across all West bank districts, including Jerusalem.
The main principles of the project were:
1. Practical application
The project relied more heavily on practical application than theoretical explanation, in keeping with the summer camps’ focus on field activities. Participants were first introduced to a simple explanation of electoral concepts and then engaged in practical implementation.
2. Simulation
The project was implemented through phases similar to those of any real electoral process such as the forming of an elections commission, voter registration, candidate nomination, campaigning, polling and the announcement of elections results. Participants engaged in the same procedures followed in real elections, even using the same forms and ballot boxes.
3. Participation
All project activities, such as elections administration, observation and participation, were implemented by the participating campers themselves. Camp administrators appointed nine students as the elections commission to manage the mock elections. They also chose observers to monitor the electoral activities. The campers themselves engaged in registration, nomination, campaigning, voting and finally announcing the election results. The CEC supervised the implementation of the project in cooperation with camp administrators.
4. Comprehensiveness and standardization
The project was implemented in 21 summer camps in all West Bank districts with identical standards, procedures, timelines and forms. A total of 1294 registered for the project, 999 of whom participated in electing 198 candidates. Voter turnout amounted 77.2 percent.
At the beginning of the project, the CEC published 50,000 brochures entitled "The ABCs of Elections" which were distributed to all participating summer camps. The brochure presented the theoretical context of the project and provided the participants with a general overview of elections in Palestine.
For further information, click on: The project in photos Final Report